BEIJING: King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua of the Kingdom of Thailand arrived in Beijing on Thursday, embarking on a five-day state visit to China that will last until November 17.
The state visit, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry, is the first visit of the King of Thailand to China since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. China is also the first major country which King Maha Vajiralongkorn officially visits.
Analysts believe the visit by the King of Thailand holds extraordinary significance in the history of China-Thailand relations, and it also demonstrates the strengthening bond between China and Thailand.
In an announcement released on its website on November 8, the Thai’s Bureau of the Royal Household official said that the visit “will strengthen even further the enduring friendship between the two countries and will, naturally, enhance the cordiality and mutual understanding in our people-to-people relations.”
Regarding Thai King’s visit, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on November 6 that China and Thailand are close and friendly neighbors and are a community with a shared future, while noting that the two countries like one family are as close as ever.
“This year marks the 50th anniversary of the China-Thailand diplomatic relations and ‘the Golden Jubilee of China-Thailand Friendship,’” said Mao. “Through the visit, China looks forward to carrying forward the traditional friendship, consolidating political mutual trust, deepening mutually beneficial cooperation, achieving greater progress in building the China-Thailand community with a shared future.”
“Royal Family of Thailand plays significant role in promoting Thai-Chinese relations,” reads a headline of a news release made public on the website of the Public Relations Department of the Thai government on November 12.
The King’s visit marks the elevation of the concept of “China and Thailand as one family” to a higher level, highlighting Thailand’s deep trust in China and China’s prominent position in Thailand’s diplomacy, said Xu Liping, director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
Song Qingrun, a professor from the School of Asian Studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University, said the King’s historic visit injects powerful impetus and policy momentum into the realization of the grand blueprint for the China-Thailand community with a shared future.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the trip by the King was momentous and underscores the close ties between the two nations, according to Thai News Agency. “This must be considered a historical event … It is something worthy of remembrance,” Anutin said.
During the state visit, according to an announcement from the Thai side, the Thai King will meet with the Chinese leaders in Beijing. The King and Queen will lay a wreath the Monument to the People’s Heroes at Tiananmen Square.
The itinerary also includes visits to the Palace Museum for the 50th-anniversary of Thai-China diplomatic ties exhibition, Lingguang Buddhist Temple, and tours of key technology centers, including the Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, China Academy of Space Technology, and the China Astronaut Research and Training Center.
From the itinerary, Xu Liping said this visit embodies a “balanced emphasis on culture and technology,” reflecting both sides’ intent to extend traditional friendship into deeper areas of future cooperation.
“The King’s visits to Chinese Buddhist sites highlight the mutual learning between civilizations and cultural connectivity between China and Thailand. On the other hand, his engagements with scientific and technological institutions signal that the two countries are moving from traditional economic and trade connectivity toward a new phase of jointly exploring cutting-edge future technologies and fostering new drivers of growth,” Song echoed.
Thailand is the first among ASEAN members to launch strategic cooperation with China, and also the first to establish a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with China, according to the website of the Chinese Embassy in Thailand.
Data from the Chinese Foreign Ministry shows that China is Thailand’s largest trading partner, and Thailand is China’s main trading partner among the ASEAN countries. In 2024, the bilateral trade volume reached $133.98 billion, with a year-on-year growth of 6.1 percent.
According to China’s General Administration of Customs, in the first half of this year, bilateral trade reached $76.1 billion, up 17 percent year-on-year, Xinhua News Agency reported.
In 2024, Thailand topped the list among ASEAN members in agricultural products export to China, with a total value of $11.6 billion.
Moreover, Thailand has the largest overseas production capacity layout for Chinese new energy vehicles of any country. Eight Chinese automakers, including SAIC and BYD, have invested in factories in Thailand, with an annual production capacity of nearly 600,000 vehicles. Thailand is also the first ASEAN country where China’s 5G technology has been fully commercialized.
In terms of people-to-people exchanges, China has repeatedly been Thailand’s largest source of inbound tourists, with Chinese visitors to Thailand exceeding 10 million in both 2018 and 2019. In March 2024, the mutual visa exemption agreement between China and Thailand officially took effect.
Regarding security cooperation, Thailand is the first country to conduct joint military exercises and training with China’s army, navy, and air force. Thailand is also the first ASEAN member to host Chinese anti-drug liaison officers and the first ASEAN member to sign an extradition treaty with China. –The Daily Mail-Global Times news exchange item
