Potential seen for Sino-Thai tech cooperation

Young Chinese entrepreneurs see growing opportunities for China-Thailand cooperation across a wide range of industries, particularly artificial intelligence and digital technologies, following a visit to Bangkok.

This week, a delegation of around 20 young Chinese entrepreneurs visited the Thai capital on a study tour supported by the Global Development Promotion Center of the China International Development Cooperation Agency.

Through exchanges with Thai government officials and industry leaders — in areas including digital healthcare, education, big data, and AI — the program aimed to strengthen regional partnerships to advance digital transformation and sustainable development across the Greater Mekong Subregion and the Global South.

During a workshop on Monday, representatives from Thailand's Digital Economy Promotion Agency, or DEPA, the National Science and Technology Development Agency, and the Thai Health Tech Association outlined the country's digital development priorities, innovation ecosystem and the role of digital technologies in supporting sustainable development.

Suchana Sinthavathavorn, an official with DEPA's Digital Transformation Promotion Unit, said Thailand welcomes greater Chinese investment in digital technologies and AI.

"As AI is one of Thailand's national development priorities, we hope to strengthen cooperation with China by leveraging each other's strengths to achieve win-win outcomes," she said.

Phongchai Petsanghan, president of the Thai Health Tech Association, said Thailand is now home to more than 140 healthcare startups.

He noted that Chinese advances in gene technology and AI-assisted medical services are attracting strong interest from Thai companies seeking to upgrade their healthcare capabilities.

Lu Guoliang, a member of the Chinese delegation and director of Global Affairs at BGI Group, praised Thailand's internationally recognized strengths in wellness and healthcare services.

Lu said that BGI — one of China's leading gene sequencing companies — has launched multiple projects across Southeast Asia in recent years, including Thailand, working with local research institutions, hospitals, and government agencies to improve healthcare through advanced technologies.

Among these efforts are prenatal screening programs for diseases with high regional prevalence, including thalassemia.

"The tour has given us a much clearer understanding of Thailand's long-term development vision," Lu said. "With the country's strategic commitment to improving public health through technological innovation, we see tremendous potential for future China-Thailand cooperation."

Recognizing the growing importance of skills development to sustainable growth across the Global South, the delegation also visited the China-Thailand Luban Workshop in Ayutthaya, one of Thailand's key industrial provinces. Established in 2016, it was the first Luban Workshop outside China.

"The tour has been extremely rewarding," said Zhao Peng, a member of the delegation and Chairman of Yize Investments Limited.

"We were deeply impressed not only by the warmth and hospitality of the Thai people, but also by the enormous opportunities for cooperation between China and Thailand in vocational education."

As China-Thailand cooperation continues to deepen, particularly in fields such as AI and cloud computing, an increasing number of Chinese companies operating in Southeast Asia are driving demand for highly skilled professionals.

He added that Thailand's longstanding friendship with China and its supportive policies have further strengthened confidence in the significant potential for bilateral cooperation in cultivating the skilled talent needed for the future.

yangwanli@chinadaily.com.cn