China and Thailand on Tuesday agreed to jointly build a community with a shared future during Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi's official visit to the Southeast Asian country.
Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha met with Wang in Bangkok. The Chinese diplomat also held talks with Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai.
Prayut said Thailand attaches great importance to the Global Development Initiative and Global Security Initiative put forward by China. Thailand admires China's great achievements in fighting poverty and looks forward to learning from its development experience and promoting all-round cooperation between the two countries, he added.
Wang said China appreciates Thailand's active role in the Global Development Initiative. Describing the China-Thailand relationship as close as one family, he said the two countries have agreed to build a community with a shared future and pursue a more stable, prosperous and sustainable future together.
The two countries can jointly build a China-Laos-Thailand Railway that runs from the south to the north and connects Europe and Asia, Wang said.
Prayut expressed the hope of enhancing the alignment of the Thailand 4.0 development strategy with the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China.
The two sides exchanged views on the Informal Economic Leaders' Retreat of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) to be held in Thailand later this year. Wang said China fully supports Thailand in playing its role as the rotating chair of APEC 2022 and hopes that the meeting will inject strong impetus into regional integration.
During his talks with Don, Wang said as the world enters a new period of turbulence and changes, China and Thailand – both important developing countries and emerging economies – should strengthen strategic coordination and make greater contributions to regional and global peace and stability.
Wang Yi (L) and Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai meet in Bangkok, Thailand, July 5, 2022. /Chinese Foreign Ministry
Don said the two countries should maintain strategic communication, deepen political mutual trust and expand practical cooperation. He thanked China for helping Thailand with the fight against COVID-19 and facilitating customs clearance for Thai agricultural products entering China.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Thailand comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation. The two countries agreed to take the anniversary as an opportunity to plan the future of their relationship and jointly build a community with a shared future.
The two sides agreed to strive to complete the China-Laos-Thailand Railway project at an early date to further promote trilateral cooperation.
China and Thailand also agreed to jointly safeguard cybersecurity and resolutely fight against all forms of telecom fraud.
(Cover: Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (3rd L) speaks to Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha (3rd R) in Bangkok, Thailand, July 5, 2022. /Chinese Foreign Ministry)