Bangkok: The Prime Minister of Thailand engaged in discussions with the Speaker of the Chinese National People's Congress to enhance bilateral cooperation and commemorate the 51st year of Thai-Chinese friendship. Today, Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Anutin Charnvirakul participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Monument to the People's Martyrs in Tiananmen Square before meeting with Zhao Leji, Chairman of the National People's Congress, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Ratchada Thanadirek, Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, stated that both parties reaffirmed their commitment to continue the longstanding Thai-Chinese friendship and promote cooperation, particularly in emerging fields such as space, electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, and sustainable environmental protection. The discussions also focused on strengthening cooperation between the two parliaments to achieve tangible benefits for the citizens of both nations.
The Prime Minister outlined four key areas for advancing cooperation:
1. Politics and Security: Efforts will be made to increase high-level exchanges, establish a 2+2 cooperation mechanism between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense, and jointly combat transnational crime and online scams.
2. Economy and Investment: The emphasis will be on promoting balanced trade, high-quality investment in Thailand that creates jobs and added value, as well as cooperation in science, technology, future industries, and infrastructure.
3. People-to-people relations: Initiatives to boost tourism, culture, and media exchange will be pursued to foster understanding and closeness between the Thai and Chinese people.
4. Regional cooperation: Support for ASEAN's central role, cooperation in the Mekong River Basin, resolving regional issues through dialogue, and promoting peace in Myanmar will be prioritized.
The Prime Minister also called for increased legislative exchanges between the parliaments and extended an invitation to the Chairman of the National People's Congress to visit Thailand, a visit that would mark the first in 15 years.
The Chairman of the National People's Congress welcomed the successful first official visit of the Prime Minister to China, including participation in the WAIC 2026 conference and a courtesy call on President Xi Jinping. Both sides committed to translating their discussions into concrete actions for the mutual benefit of their citizens.
Furthermore, the Chairman expressed China's readiness to support Thailand in areas such as artificial intelligence, digital technology, space, health, and environmental protection. Additionally, China and Thailand aim to collaborate more closely on international platforms, including ASEAN-China and the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation framework, while upholding universal principles in accordance with the United Nations.
The Chairman also appreciated the cooperation between the two parliaments and expressed a desire to jointly exchange ideas to improve environmental law and sustainable development. An invitation was extended to the Speaker and Vice-Speaker of the National People's Congress to visit China at their earliest convenience.