Sports proving to be a tie that binds nations

China and Thailand will work on a series of sports and tourism events, as part of celebrations of the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations. Cooperation agreements on key events were signed at the 2025 Running and Sports Tourism Exchange Signing Ceremony in Beijing on May 14.

They include the Chongli 168 Ultra-Trail in Hebei province and Chiang Mai by UTMB (a global trail running series and community), as well as the Chiang Mai 24: From Dusk Till Dawn run, and the Xiamen 6 Day Race in Fujian province.

The agreements cover in-depth cooperation in areas such as knowledge sharing, quota exchanges, resource sharing, internationalization efforts, rule refinement, and mutual visits.

"This is more than a provincial-level collaboration. It is a visionary effort to use sports and tourism as tools to strengthen people-to-people exchanges, which lie at the heart of international friendship. Such connections build the cultural and emotional bridges necessary for long-lasting cooperation between our two nations," said Duansib Padmasundara Cullen, minister-counselor of Thailand to China, at the ceremony that was cohosted by the Chiang Mai Provincial Administrative Organization, the Sports Authority of Thailand, and the Beijing office of Tourism Authority of Thailand.

The event was a showcase of the deep friendship and bilateral ties between China and Thailand, and was designed to enhance the race experience for Chinese runners and to help Chinese brands expand into Southeast Asian markets.

Cullen emphasizes that this cooperation marks a crucial step, demonstrating the power of sports and tourism as instruments for creating mutual benefits based on the strong and enduring relationship between the two countries.

It also aligns with the Thai government's goal of promoting sports tourism and elevating Thailand as a prominent sports and wellness tourism hub in Asia, by synergizing the potential of Chiang Mai in terms of its nature and culture with the world-class expertise of the Chinese private sector in organizing sporting events, she says.

Nittaya Kerdjuntuk, director of the Office of the Professional Sports Committee, Sports Authority of Thailand, says that last year's Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc series event held in Chiang Mai welcomed over 7,000 participants from around the world.

"I was especially pleased to see that more than 2,600 of them came from China," she says.

"This shows the immense enthusiasm of Chinese athletes, and the strong connection between our two nations."

Kerdjuntuk says that Thailand is committed to a five-year development plan aimed at transforming Chiang Mai into a premier destination for both runners and tourists.

"We're working in collaboration with the government and local businesses to make this vision a reality," she says.

Highlighting the strong friendship between Thailand and China, Kerdjuntuk says she's looking forward to more joint initiatives in the future.

"Our two countries have long enjoyed deep and friendly ties. In the years ahead, we plan to host joint expos and industry events to promote economic and cultural cooperation.

"We want Chiang Mai to become a vibrant hub for such exchanges, and I sincerely hope both countries will continue to achieve greater results through sports and cultural exchanges."

Pichai Lertpongadisorn, president of the Chiang Mai Provincial Administrative Organization, conveyed his aspirations of strengthening Sino-Thai friendship through sporting endeavors, while simultaneously fostering running culture and the growth of sports tourism.

Chinese sports experts highlighted the rapid growth of the country's events sector and its economic ripple effects at the ceremony, saying that marathons and trail races have emerged as flagship models of the country's "sports-plus" economy. They believe bilateral cooperation will unleash more market potential.

Yang Yucheng, vice-president of the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics Alumni Association, and a seasoned ultramarathon runner, says the running economy is booming in both China and Thailand.

"When a city hosts a marathon or cross-country race, it attracts large numbers of participants and spectators. This immediately drives demand for accommodation, food, transport and tourism. It creates a very visible economic ripple effect," Yang says.

He calls attention to the Wuxi Marathon in Jiangsu province in March, which reportedly generated nearly 500 million yuan ($69.3 million) in local spending. In 2024, that figure was just over 300 million yuan.

"That's a huge jump, largely driven by the race's growing popularity and the influx of participants and their families, who also come to enjoy the cherry blossoms and local attractions," he explains.

While the pace of growth in running-related spending in China is impressive, he believes the sector still hasn't fully explored the potential of integrating tourism with sports events.

"There's a lot of room for improvement and innovation here," he says, adding that because of this potential, expectations from race organizers on both sides are high.

Cullen believes the signing of the bilateral cooperation agreement shows sports are more than competition, and serve as powerful tools for building relationships, creating social networks, and promoting sustainable economic, social, and cultural development within cities.

She expresses hope that the signing ceremony will mark not only the start of a fruitful collaboration, but also a new chapter in shared development and the exchange of knowledge between Asian cities.