Chinese premier meets Thailand's king in Beijing

Chinese Premier Li Qiang met with King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua of the Kingdom of Thailand in Beijing on Friday.

The Thai King is on a state visit to China from Nov 13 to 17.

Li said that China and Thailand are good relatives, good friends, and good partners, noting that Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Thai King reached an important consensus on further deepening bilateral relations during their meeting on Friday.

"China and Thailand are as close as one family," said Li, noting that the Chinese side stands ready to work with Thailand to maintain high-level interactions, enhance good-neighborliness, firmly support each other, and deepen cooperation in fields including trade, investment, green economy, artificial intelligence, and culture, to promote the achievement of more results in the building of the China-Thailand community with a shared future and deliver more benefits to the people of the two countries.

The Thai King said that Thailand and China share a profound traditional friendship, with cooperation in various fields showing rich outcomes and broad prospects.

He said the Thai side highly commends China's significant achievements in economic and social development over the past few years and is willing to strengthen friendly exchanges with China, deepen practical cooperation, and move forward together on the path of common development.

Chinese premier meets Thailand's king in Beijing

Chinese premier meets Thailand's king in Beijing

Chinese premier meets Thailand's king in Beijing

Chinese premier meets Thailand's king in Beijing

Japan's core consumer price index (CPI) rose to 112.1 in March, marking the 55th straight month of increase year on year, according to data released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications on Friday.

Comparing with March 2025, the country's core CPI climbed 1.8 percent, surpassing February's 1.6 percent rise.

On a monthly basis, the index increased 0.5 percent in March, reversing a 0.3 percent decline recorded in February.

Rising food prices remained the primary driver of inflation, with coffee bean prices surging 54 percent year on year and ordinary rice prices climbing 6.4 percent.

Mobile phone communication fees jumped 11.1 percent, while hotel accommodation costs rose 5 percent.

Electricity bills fell 8 percent in March, thanks to government price subsidies.

As prices continue to climb, a growing number of Japanese consumers expect the inflationary trend to persist.

A recent Bank of Japan survey showed that consumers expect prices to be 10.3 percent higher on average in five years - the highest level since the survey began in 2006.

Japan's core CPI up for 55th consecutive month