Opening Remarks by
H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand
At the Thematic Forum on “Policy Connectivity” during the 2^nd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation
25 April 2019, Beijing, China

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Mr Chairman,

Distinguished Ministers, Heads of International Organizations, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Apart from thanking China for the invitation, I wish also to congratulate China for hosting the 2th Belt and Road Initiative for International Cooperation. 

Indeed, since the inception of this gran initiative in 2013, the BRI has grown from a concept to a key platform for a new era of international cooperation which has produced concrete outcomes.

As the BRI aims to link China with Asia, Europe and the rest of the world through connected transport infrastructure, trade and investment facilitation, and people-to-people connectivity, we need to work closely together to synergize our development policies in these areas so that they complement each other. And in getting our differing operating systems to work effectively together, there are 4 important elements to consider;

Firstly, Respecting Domestic Priorities. A new global architecture should be one that respects the domestic priorities of individual countries while ensuring that major cross-border spillovers and global public goods are addressed.  Such global public goods include stable macroeconomic frameworks, incentives for economic restructuring and diversification (both market-led and government-provided), social policies to address inequality and exclusion, continued investments in human capital and skills, and a strengthening of regulatory institutions.

Secondly, Safeguarding Multilateralism. There should be common efforts to safeguard multilateralism, and the open, rules-based trading system which has delivered immense benefits for all, especially the emerging market economies. Preserving this system will ensure that low-income countries can also make successful growth transitions.

Thirdly, Promoting Sustainable Development. We should have a common objective of promoting sustainable development with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as its basis.  In this respect, both Thailand and China have been active in promoting sustainable development in Asia and the Mekong sub-region. Our two countries have adopted a comprehensive approach in development, which focuses on multidimensional connectivity, encompassing physical connectivity, but also software connectivity which requires synchronized mechanisms at every aspect from rules and regulations, cross border trade, transport facilitation, to enhanced people-to-people connectivity.

And finally, Connecting the Connectivities. We should have the common approach of promoting various connectivity initiatives already in place or being planned – the concept of “Connecting the Connectivities” which is being discussed in ASEAN. On this approach, Thailand has already started the development of the Eastern Economic Corridor or the EEC which we plan to form the basis for the long term development of a value- and innovation-driven economy, which will connect with other regions and sub-regions as envisioned in the ACMECS Master Plan and the ASEAN Master Plan on Connectivity 2025, and will link up with other frameworks such as BIMSTEC of South Asia and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).

The elements I have outlined is consistent with the theme of our ASEAN Chairmanship “Advancing Partnership for Sustainability.”

I am pleased that some of those elements of “policy connectivity” is already starting to become a reality. We should all welcome the unprecedented tripartite cooperation between China -Japan-Thailand in our flagship project of constructing high speed railway linking 3 airports in Thailand as Public-Private Partnership (PPP) as key.

If this model is applied in other BRI projects or other initiatives beyond our region, the world will be connected and the stars up there at night are closer than you think. Life wants you to connect deeply with the hearts of other people, struggle together by all means and rejoice together. Such connectivity is aimed at achieving 5 Ps of Global Agenda, with People, Partnering for Prosperity and Peace for the Planet.