National —
At 10:00 AM (local time in Lima, Peru) on November 15th, 2024, Thai PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra held a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the 31st APEC Economic Leaders’ Summit.
The discussions reinforced the longstanding partnership between the two nations and celebrated the upcoming 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2025, a year dubbed the “Golden Year of Thai-Chinese Friendship.”
Paetongtarn confirmed Thailand’s support for China hosting APEC in 2026 and extended a warm invitation to President Xi and his wife for the 50th-anniversary celebration events. She praised China’s advancements, including its new quality productive force policy, aligning with Thailand’s goals of promoting globalization and open trade.
President Xi emphasized the deep, unique friendship between the two countries, vowing to expand cooperation in trade, innovation, clean energy, space technology, and education. Both leaders expressed mutual interest in learning from each other’s successes, particularly in poverty alleviation and sustainable development.
Thailand also committed to the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) to enhance cultural exchanges and soft power. President Xi reaffirmed China’s support for Thailand’s inclusion in BRICS and pledged continued collaboration in regional frameworks like the ACD and MLC.
Additionally, China will boost agricultural imports, investment, and cultural ties while tackling cross-border crime and cyber threats together. President Xi also announced that China would gift Thailand a giant panda to mark their 50-year friendship, delighting Thai citizens.
In a spiritual gesture, President Xi confirmed the transfer of the sacred Buddha Tooth Relic to Thailand, where it will be enshrined at Bangkok’s Sanam Luang on December 4th to honor King Rama X’s 72nd birthday. This historic event symbolizes the two nations’ deep cultural and spiritual bonds.
This article originally appeared on our sister website The Pattaya News.
