PM outlines five-pronged Thailand-China cooperation plan as “springboard” for regional economic growth

Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul on Friday delivered a keynote at the Thailand-China Cooperation Expo 2025 at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani, highlighting the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Over the past half-century, Thailand and China have built a solid foundation for cooperation in trade, investment, and people-to-people relations, which the Prime Minister said will pave the way for even greater opportunities.

Anutin emphasised that China has demonstrated remarkable development, particularly in technology, digital economy, and clean energy, while Thailand is upgrading infrastructure and economic structures to meet future growth. The convergence of both nations’ strengths offers a prime opportunity to jointly foster prosperity.

The Prime Minister outlined five key areas of future Thailand–China cooperation:

1. Infrastructure and logistics connectivity – including the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) and Thailand–China high-speed rail, connecting ASEAN with southern China and facilitating seamless trade and tourism.

2. Green economy and clean energy – Thailand aims to serve as a hub for electric vehicle and battery production, partnering with China. Both countries have also launched a new five-year trade and economic cooperation plan (2025–2031), targeting strategic sectors such as semiconductors, batteries, and sustainable production.

3. Digital technology and innovation – creation of a digital economic platform linking finance, cross-border trade, and AI research to help SMEs and start-ups access new markets.

4. Agriculture and food security – a priority for both Thailand as a major producer and China with its large population.

5. People-to-people exchanges – covering education, culture, and tourism, including quality tourism, student and professional exchanges, and language and cultural learning, strengthening bilateral relations based on mutual understanding and shared cultural heritage.

The Prime Minister stressed that Thailand aims to become a regional hub for trade, investment, and innovation, working closely with China to reduce barriers, improve regulations, and facilitate business. Thailand seeks not only to be an economic partner but also a “springboard” for wider regional cooperation, leveraging the long-standing friendship between the two nations to achieve sustainable development across multiple sectors, he said.

The Thailand-China Cooperation Expo 2025 ran from September 26-28, 2025 at Challenger Halls 2-3, IMPACT Muang Thong Thani, Nonthaburi Province, under the theme “50 Years of Thailand-China Relations: Advancing Together”. The event brought together entrepreneurs, investors, importers, exporters, and business leaders from Thailand, China, and other countries to strengthen networks and promote Thailand as a Global Supply Chain Hub, covering technology and innovation, trade and investment, green energy, sustainable agriculture, automotive and EV, logistics and supply chains, and the food and beverage sectors.