China ready to further traditional friendship, cooperation with Thailand: Premier Li

Chinese Premier Li Qiang said on Thursday that China is ready to work with Thailand to further carry forward traditional friendship, strengthen strategic communication, and push forward the building of a China-Thailand community with a shared future.

Li made the remarks during his meeting with Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on the sidelines of the leaders' meetings on East Asia cooperation held in Vientiane.

China and Thailand are close friends and neighbors linked by mountains and rivers, Li noted, saying that under the strategic guidance of the leaders of the two countries, the building of the China-Thailand community with a shared future has continued to advance, with fruitful cooperation in various fields and ever heated people-to-people exchanges.

The concept of "China and Thailand as one family" has gained greater popularity, he added.

Li hopes that China-Thailand relations will become even closer and bring more benefits to the people of the two countries.

He said that China firmly supports Thailand in pursuing a development path that suits its national conditions, and will always serve as Thailand's trustworthy and reliable partner.

The Chinese side, Li said, is ready to work with Thailand to better align development strategies, actively communicate with each other on policies, accelerate the construction of the China-Thailand railway, promote industrial integration and development, and deepen cooperation in industrial parks, digital economy, new energy vehicles as well as photovoltaic and other fields, to better support the transformation and upgrade of their respective economies.

The Chinese premier also called on the two sides to jointly host activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties next year and strengthen exchanges in media, culture, tourism, education, and youth to consolidate public support for the friendship between the two countries.

China, Li said, is ready to work with Thailand to implement the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement in a high-quality manner, accelerate regional economic integration, strengthen multilateral coordination and cooperation, and jointly safeguard the peaceful and stable development in the region.

For her part, Paetongtarn extended warm congratulations on the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, expressing her firm belief that under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, China will continue to grow stronger and make greater contributions to world peace and prosperity.

Noting that next year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries, she said Thailand is willing to jointly hold a series of celebrations with China, further strengthen high-level exchanges, promote mutually beneficial cooperation in economy, trade, agriculture and other fields, deepen cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and jointly crack down on transnational crimes such as online gambling and telephone fraud, in a bid to constantly push forward the building of a Thailand-China community with a shared future.

Thailand, she said, is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China within ASEAN, Lancang-Mekong Cooperation and other multilateral frameworks, jointly promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and safeguard regional peace, stability and prosperity.

China ready to further traditional friendship, cooperation with Thailand: Premier Li

China ready to further traditional friendship, cooperation with Thailand: Premier Li

A delegation of 40 students and teachers from seven Chinese mainland universities on Thursday wrapped up their nine-day visit to Taiwan. They set off for Taiwan on Nov. 27 and visited universities, historical sites, scenic spots, as well as sports, sci-tech and cultural venues on the island, widely engaging with locals throughout the tour.

The delegation made the tour at the invitation of the Taiwan-based Ma Ying-jeou Culture and Education Foundation.

"The young people from both sides of the Strait share the same root, and we are having a harmonious communication this time. We also welcome young people from Taiwan to visit the mainland for exchange," Cao Yibo, a student from Peking University, told reporters during the tour.

The delegation included table tennis Olympic champion Ma Long who studies at Beijing Sport University, and air rifle Olympic champion Yang Qian of Tsinghua University.

"In the future, I would like to visit Taiwan again. I did not expect that so many compatriots in Taiwan would come to welcome and us and pay so much attention to our exchange tour," Ma said.

Hsiao Hsu-tsen, executive director of the Ma Ying-jeou Culture and Education Foundation, saw off the delegation at the airport on Thursday, and said the mainland students and teachers had received Taiwan residents' heartfelt welcome wherever they went.

"The farewell dinner party was held yesterday evening, when almost all students from the mainland shared their feelings. What moved me so much is that every one of them thanked people here, because the latter sincerely and warmly welcomed them wherever they went during the nine-day tour. They told me that when they go back, they will tell their relatives and friends that people in Taiwan are kind, hospitable and warm. I believe that is the most important purpose of the exchange across the Strait," he said.

Calling youth exchanges a foundation of cross-Strait relations in the future, Hsiao said the foundation will carry on and continue to promote such exchanges across the Strait.

This is the second delegation of mainland teachers and students visiting Taiwan at the invitation of the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, following the visit by a first delegation in July last year.

Delegation of mainland university students, teachers wraps up Taiwan visit