Thai king and queen’s China visit marks major milestone in bilateral ties

Their Majesties the King and Queen’s official visit to China from November 13 to 17, undertaken at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, marked a significant step forward in strengthening China–Thailand relations.

Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jianwei made the remark during a press briefing on Monday, saying the visit coincided with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Thailand and marked the first official visit to China by a Thai monarch since the two countries formalised bilateral ties.

China is also the first major country His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn has visited since ascending the throne, he added.

Zhang said both sides agreed to work together to advance the building of a China–Thailand community with a shared future over the next 50 years, and to write a new chapter of China–Thailand friendship.

President Xi Jinping hosted a grand welcoming ceremony and state banquet for Their Majesties, while Chinese Premier Li Qiang also held discussions with His Majesty the King.

During the visit, Their Majesties laid a wreath at the Monument to the People’s Heroes and toured important sites in Beijing, gaining first-hand insight into China’s modernisation achievements and promoting exchanges in science, education and culture.

The ambassador noted that the visit drew widespread attention across both countries, reinforcing the sentiment that “China and Thailand are one family”. He said the trip strengthened people-to-people ties, inspired enthusiasm for deeper cooperation, and created strong momentum for future bilateral development.

Zhang described the visit as “highly successful and far exceeding expectations”. He added: “As China’s ambassador to Thailand, I was deeply honoured to contribute to the preparations and to accompany Their Majesties throughout the historic visit.”

He went on to share five key observations:

First, the heads of state exchanged in-depth views on strategic bilateral issues. They agreed that over the past five decades, despite a changing global landscape, China and Thailand have stood shoulder-to-shoulder as genuine relatives, friends and partners. Both leaders agreed to deepen strategic alignment to ensure people in both countries benefit tangibly from cooperation, while enhancing social and cultural exchanges to promote stronger bonds.

He added that head-of-state diplomacy has ushered China–Thailand relations into a new era. “At this new historical starting point, China is ready to work with Thailand to build an even stronger partnership and move towards another golden 50 years,” he said.

Second, the most important outcome of the visit was the joint direction-setting for future bilateral cooperation. President Xi Jinping briefed His Majesty on China’s newly approved 15th Five-Year Plan, which emphasises high-quality development and greater openness. 

China expressed readiness to enhance strategic coordination with Thailand, advance key projects such as the China–Thailand railway, increase imports of high-quality Thai agricultural products, and expand cooperation in emerging fields including artificial intelligence, the digital economy, and aerospace.

Third, the discussions between the two heads of state took place in a warm and friendly atmosphere. President Xi highlighted the long historical links between the Thai royal family and the Chinese government, praising the royal family’s role in promoting bilateral friendship. 

He welcomed more frequent royal visits, stating that China would support royal-initiated development projects and strengthen exchanges on poverty alleviation to help improve livelihoods in Thailand.

Fourth, the visit featured an intensive schedule and wide-ranging engagements. It was not only a visit of friendship, but also one of science, technology, culture and education.

The ambassador noted that Thailand’s ongoing economic transformation stands to benefit from deeper cooperation in artificial intelligence, deep-space exploration and aerospace technology.

He added that Their Majesties visited Lingguang Temple to pay respects to the Buddha’s tooth relic and attended the opening of a China–Thailand cultural antiquities exhibition at the Palace Museum, reflecting the deep cultural affinity between the two nations.

Fifth, the widespread admiration Their Majesties received from the Chinese public. Their Majesties’ graciousness, poise and engagement captivated Chinese netizens, sparking a surge of interest in Thailand and boosting the popularity of “Thai tourism fever” across China. 

The ambassador said this had strengthened emotional ties between the two peoples and helped entrench the notion of “China and Thailand as one family” among the public.

In conclusion, Zhang said the first official visit to China by His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Her Majesty Queen Suthida filled an important historical gap in bilateral ties and marked a highly significant milestone. 

The visit renewed longstanding friendship, strengthened political trust, advanced mutually beneficial cooperation, deepened cultural exchanges, and reinforced the shared sense of family between the two nations.

He added that the visit lays a stronger foundation for building a China–Thailand community with a shared future and for advancing bilateral relations over the next 50 years. The ambassador expressed confidence that the future of China–Thailand relations will be even brighter.