Benefits of Sino-Thai cooperation seen

While taking two Chinese tourists from Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok to the downtown area, taxi driver Samart pointed to the electronic welcoming boards along the airport express and translated the Thai words with excitement.

"The Chinese and the Thais are the same family. We give a warm welcome to Chinese President Xi Jinping, and, of course, his family," said Samart, 42, with a big smile.

Xi was in Bangkok from Thursday to Saturday to attend the 29th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting and to visit the Southeast Asian nation.

Samart, who has worked as a taxi driver for more than 10 years, said he has served many Chinese tourists, especially before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. "We love Chinese people, as we are neighbors and share lots of common interests and ties, such as culture, trade and values."

He said that many Thais share his feelings and expect the country and its economy to recover from the impacts of COVID-19. The APEC meeting is a positive signal and "we hope more and more Chinese friends will visit Thailand", Samart added.

Apart from tourism, the close relationship and cooperation between China and Thailand are also seen in many other aspects, such as infrastructure construction, education and industrial development.

Bilateral economic and trade cooperation has been on the rise despite the impact of COVID. In 2021, trade exceeded $100 billion for the first time and is expected to hit a record high this year.

For example, the Thai-Chinese Rayong Industrial Zone, which was established in 2006, is now one of the biggest Chinese industrial sites overseas, with more than 180 Chinese-invested companies.

The zone has provided jobs to more than 30,000 local people, accounting for 90 percent of the zone's total employees. Companies in the zone cover a wide range of industries, such as the automobile, electronics and machinery sectors. The zone has so far attracted more than $4.3 billion in investment from China.

Lu Xingyang, assistant manager of Xintai Tier Co in the industrial zone, said: "Cooperation between China and Thailand has benefited people in both countries. Thanks to such cross-border cooperation, many companies have survived despite COVID-19, as we were able to maintain both supply and demand from the two countries."

Lu, a Thai who has worked for the company since 2010, now uses his Chinese name more frequently. "Most employees in our company are Thais, and many can speak Chinese more or less. Thanks to the daily communications, employees from the two countries know each other more, and we are like a family now," he said.

This year marks the 47th anniversary of the establishment of Sino-Thai diplomatic relations, and it is the 10th anniversary of the establishment of their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

China is Thailand's largest trading partner, largest export market for agricultural products and a major source of foreign investment, according to Han Zhiqiang, China's ambassador to Thailand.

Han told reporters earlier that speeding up the construction of the China-Thailand high-speed railway and connecting it with the China-Laos Railway to form an artery running through mainland Southeast Asia will facilitate the flow of people and logistics, promote economic and trade development and achieve common prosperity.

Since its opening nearly a year ago, the China-Laos Railway has carried more than 10 million metric tons of cargo, much of it between China and Thailand, he added.

Chadchart Sittipunt, governor of Bangkok, told China Daily that "China and Thailand are close, friendly neighbors, with a popular belief in both countries that the two peoples are as close as families".

Friendship between Thailand and China started in the 15th century, and many of the Thais' forefathers were from China, he added.

"I believe the concept of the Asia-Pacific community or Thailand-China with a shared future will help to deepen the cooperation between the two countries. Since we have witnessed lots of success in terms of trade and construction, we look forward to partnership in many other aspects, such as culture, art and science," said Chadchart.

yangwanli@chinadaily.com.cn