Commentary: A New Chapter of China-Thailand Relations 　　On February 5, visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan and his Thai counterpart Surin Pitsuwan signed China-Thailand Joint Statement on Bilateral Cooperation in Bangkok, which is the second important diplomatic document signed between the two nations since the Joint Communique on Establishing Diplomatic Relations was signed in 1975. 　　The Statement said that the People's Republic of China and the Kingdom of Thailand ( hereinafter referred to as "the two sides") have, since their formal establishment of diplomatic relations on July 1, 1975, conducted smooth cooperation on the basis of friendship, equality, mutual benefit and reciprocity in various fields and have become a good example of harmony and amity between countries of different social systems. 　　At the advent of the 21st century, the two sides agree to further expand their all-directional cooperation and relations of good-neighborliness and mutual trust, so as to bring China-Thailand relationship to a new stage of development, the Statement said. 　　The two sides will maintain close contacts and exchanges between their state leaders, and encourage frequent mutual visits and exchanges at all levels, high levels in particular. 　　The two sides have decided to maintain the mechanism of annual consultations between senior officials of their foreign ministries and agree to strengthen security cooperation through confidence-building measures. 　　The two sides will, on the basis of the principle of equality and mutual benefit, expand their friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, agriculture, industry, merchant shipping, science and technology. 　　The two sides will attach greater importance and extend greater support to the sub-regional cooperation under the framework of the Quadrangle Economic Cooperation (China, Thailand, Laos and Myanmar) and the Economic Cooperation in the Greater Mekong Sub-region. 　　The two sides respect each other's legal systems and are ready to work together to develop closer contacts in the judicial field, further strengthen their law-enforcement cooperation in combating cross-border organized crimes, drug trafficking, smuggling, economic crimes, illegal border-crossing and other criminal activities. 　　The two sides will strengthen their consultations and cooperation over regional and international issues of common concern at ASEAN, ARF, APEC, ASEM, UN, WTO and other multilateral forums, so as to enhance regional and international peace and development. 　　The Chinese side states that it fully respects the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Thailand. The Thai side reaffirms that it recognizes the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China, acknowledges the position of the Chinese government that there is only one China and that Taiwan is an integral part of Chinese territory. 　　The two sides are of the view that in spite of risks and challenges, the pursuit of peace, security and cooperation still represents the mainstream of the situation in their region, and that, Asian, especially East Asian countries, after making necessary adjustments, will be able to gradually overcome their temporary difficulties caused by the recent financial turmoil, and Asia will continue to be one of the most dynamic and most promising regions in the world economy. 　　The two sides have realized that the trend toward a multi-polar world is gaining momentum and the force for peace is growing in strength, and that it is the pressing call of our times and an inevitable trend of history to establish a new, peaceful, stable, equitable, and rational international political and economic order. And the two sides undertake to make active and concerted effort to further develop their bilateral relations and to promote lasting stability and prosperity in the region and in the world as a whole. 　　The signing of the Joint Statement on Bilateral Cooperation shows that the two governments and peoples all hope the Sino-Thai friendship will pass on from generation to generation. This statement, which guides the direction and establishes a framework for the development of the two nations' relations in the new century, will play an important role in the history of China-Thailand relations. 　　Sino-Thai friendship can withstand all kinds of severe tests. We believe that with the joint efforts of the two sides, China and Thailand will step into the new century hand in hand, and open a new epoch of their relationship. WorldNews 1999-02-10 Page6 Full Story in Chinese