Roundup: Premier Zhu's Visit to Further Promote Sino-Thai Relations

As an old song goes, "the Chinese and the Thai are brothers." In recent years, top leaders of the two countries exchanged quite frequent visits, just like relatives. This friendly relations are expected to be further enhanced by Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji's visit to Thailand this week.

Following Chinese President Jiang Zemin's visit to Thailand in 1999 and Vice President Hu Jintao's visit in 2000, Premier Zhu's official visit to the kingdom from May 18 to 22 will become another milestone in the history of friendship between the two countries.

China and Thailand have enjoyed long lasting friendship which can be traced back to as early as the first century.

"Through the exchange over such a long period of time, a profound friendship of brotherhood has been established between the two peoples," said President Jiang during his visit to Thailand in September 1999.

After their establishment of diplomatic relations in 1975, the two countries quickened the pace of cultivating friendly relations in all areas, witnessing a sound and steady development of bilateral relations despite the vicissitudes on the international arena.

It is widely known that Sino-Thai relations have become a model for countries with different systems to develop mutually beneficial, cooperative friendly and good neighborly relations.

Areas for bilateral cooperation have expanded and more and more common ground has been achieved between the two sides on regional and international issues.

The new Thai government, which took office in February, has expressed wishes to further strengthen the bilateral friendship, pledging to stick to the "One-China Policy" and to strengthen cooperation with China in regional and international affairs.

The Chinese government, on its part, has expressed appreciation for the new Thai government's stance of continuing to develop bilateral friendly relations and supported its policy orientation of enhancing relations with neighboring countries and promoting dialogue and cooperation in the region.

Also worth noting is the contribution made by the Thai royal family to the smooth development of bilateral relations.

Queen Sirikit paid a visit to China last year on behalf of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the first official visit made by either the king or the queen in more than 30 years.

Princess Srindhorn, a well-known name to the Chinese people because of her persistent efforts in promoting bilateral cultural exchange between the two countries and because of the more than 10 visits she made to China, attended a Chinese-learning class in Beijing University earlier this year for a month.

Beyond politics, China and Thailand have also enjoyed favorable economic and trade relations.

In the year 2000, bilateral trade increased by 57 percent with the total value reaching 6.6 billion U.S. dollars, which is an enormous figure compared with the 24.6 million dollars when diplomatic relations were established 26 years ago.

China's exports to Thailand have expanded from traditional Chinese medicine, light industrial products and crude oil to mechanical equipment, electronic products and pharmaceutical products.

In addition to bilateral trade, Thailand is an important investor in China with more than 2,800 investment projects worth more than 1.9 billion dollars while Chinese companies are active in bidding on projects in Thailand.

The two countries have also enhanced cooperation in the field of culture, education and medicine.

Various troupes of musicians and artists from both sides have visited each other's country, making great contribution to promoting understanding and friendship between the two peoples.

The Thai government has also adopted policies of encouraging learning Chinese and legalizing the traditional Chinese medicine, which were widely acclaimed by the Thai people.

It is a view shared by both the Thai and Chinese sides that the development of an "all-weather, all-dimension" relationship is in the interests of the two peoples and is conducive to the peace, stability and development of the region.

As President Jiang Zemin said in his meeting with Queen Sirikit in Beijing last year, so long as both sides join efforts to develop relations in accordance with the common aspiration of their peoples, the China-Thai friendship will display more vigor in the new millennium.

Premier Zhu Rongji's visit will definitely push the development of bilateral friendship forward.






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