China supports Thailand’s bid to become EV hub: trade representative

Over the past year, the export of Thai products, especially agricultural products, to China has grown significantly, Narumon said, adding that durians and other fruits were popular among the Chinese population.

The Chinese envoy expressed readiness to support the ongoing collaborative efforts between Global Multimodal Logistics (GML), a subsidiary of PTT and the Marketing Organization for Farmers (MOF) to ensure the quality of agricultural products sent to China and maintain regular inspections.

Furthermore, collaboration on the Thailand-Laos-China railway route is expected to promote and facilitate the widespread distribution of agricultural products to Chinese consumers, significantly enhancing and expanding market access, Narumon added.

The two also discussed collaboration on clean energy and Thailand’s bid to become the hub for electric vehicle (EV) production in ASEAN. Han Zhiqiang stated that many of China’s EV manufacturers in China have already invested in Thailand and was assured that the Thai government is ready to continuously support these investments.

In terms of collaboration to develop Thailand's human capital to support industries that require high-skilled labour, the Chinese Ambassador expressed his country’s willingness to support this initiative, noting that China is currently providing training for personnel in the high-speed rail industry in Ayutthaya. It is also working with the Department of Skill Development to help develop the digital skills of Thais.

"Today’s discussions with the Chinese Ambassador are a positive indication for expanding our cooperation, jointly driving the economic growth of both Thailand and China sustainably," Narumon said.
China is considered a crucial trading partner for Thailand, ranking first in terms of companies investing in Thailand and second in Thai exports.