Chinese Premier, Top Legislator Meet Thai Deputy PM

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, June 20, 2003

Chinese Premier, Top Legislator Meet Thai Deputy PM

A new Sino-Thai agreement on a tariff-free deal for fruit and vegetable trade is an important step in setting up the China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) free trade area.

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A new Sino-Thai agreement on a tariff-free deal for fruit and vegetable trade is an important step in setting up the China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) free trade area.

The pact will not only facilitate Sino-Thai cooperation, but also benefit regional cooperation, said Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in Beijing Thursday at a meeting with visiting Thai Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak.

Briefing the visitors on China's battle against the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) disease, Wen said that after the meeting on SARS held in Thailand between leaders of China and ASEAN members, China had taken a series of follow-up actions and promoted regional cooperation in public health.

China and ASEAN countries withstood the test of SARS, and their future cooperation would be closer and even more fruitful, said Wen.

Thai Deputy Prime Minister Somkid said that bilateral friendship was very firm and both sides had kept close contact.

New NPC Standing Committee to further cooperation with Thai Parliament

The new Standing Committee of the Chinese National People's Congress (NPC) hopes to further develop friendly exchanges and cooperation with the Thai Parliament, said top legislator Wu Bangguo on Thursday at a meeting with visiting Thai Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak.

China was ready to strengthen cooperation with all countries in the region so as to contribute to the Asian prosperity as China's development was significant for Asia's economic growth, he noted.

He pointed to the profound Sino-Thai friendship and said he was convinced that bilateral friendship and cooperation would continue to advance with the concerted efforts from both sides.

Wu thanked the Thai government and people in all its social strata for their support for China's fight against severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and noted that China was improving its legal system in this regard.

Deputy Prime Minister Somkid spoke highly of bilateral friendship and China's successful control of SARS epidemic, and said the victory over SARS virus would raise China's economic and social development to a new height.

Thailand hoped that China would become even much stronger in the wake of its development, which would provide impetus for neighboring countries, noted Somkid, adding that Thailand would further increase its cooperation with China and make unremitting efforts for common prosperity in the region.

New page opens for Thailand-China cooperation: Thai Deputy PM

With the signing of a tariff-free agreement on some fruits and vegetables, cooperation for tourism, food security and health, a new page has been opened for Thailand-China cooperation, said Thai Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak Thursday in Beijing.

"Through this visit, the friendly cooperative ties between Thailand and China will be lifted to a new level, which is a new start," Somkid told Xinhua.

China and Thailand signed on Wednesday an agreement under the framework agreement of the Sino-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) free trade zone, aiming to offer mutual tariff-free preferences on 188 agricultural products from Oct. 1, 2003.

"This is the first such cooperation that Thailand signed in Asia, which will not only speed up the bilateral trade process between Thailand and China, but encourage other ASEAN member nations to join such efforts in advance," said Somkid.

The advanced exemption of tariffs on imported fruits and vegetables between Thailand and China would also help promote an early finish of the Sino-ASEAN free trade zone which is scheduled to be built by 2010, Somkid added.

Somkid said the two counties planned to gradually exempt tariffs on other goods after consultation.

Both countries should make farm produce standards for the sake of better quality control, he noted. Meanwhile, he added, the two countries were expected to improve efficiency in customs, quarantine and logistics.

The health departments of both countries would work together to supervise and communicate on food safety standards, develop herbal medicine and enhance medical cooperation.

Citing Yunnan as a bond of Sino-Thai friendship and cooperation,Somkid said the strengthening of cooperation between Yunnan and Thailand was of vital significance for the promotion of the coordination between the Mekong River sub-region and the ASEAN.

"China and Thailand are like brothers and sisters, the frequent exchange of visits by the two countries' leaders have enhanced the friendship between the people of the two countries."

The close ties between Thailand and China would surely exert a positive impact on their neighboring countries, as well as the whole Mekong River sub-region and the ASEAN, said Deputy Prime Minister Somkid.

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