Thailand and China signed an agreement this Sunday to permanently eliminate the visa requirement for their respective citizens as of March 1st.
The measure seeks to facilitate travel and tourism between the two nations and reflects “the close cooperation and relations between the two countries,” stressed the Thai Foreign Minister, Parnpree Bahiddha-nukara, at a press conference in Bangkok with his counterpart. Chinese, Wang Yi, visiting this Southeast Asian country.
“This agreement is a symbol of our enduring friendship and trust, which is evident at all levels. I am confident that travel between our two peoples, whether for tourism or business, will be more convenient and will help stimulate the tourism industry in both countries,” he highlighted.
The measure had already been advanced by the Thai Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin, and represents another step in the strategy of the second economy in Southeast Asia to reactivate its tourism, one of its main economic drivers and which has its main partner in China.
The signing of the agreement is part of a four-day trip by the Chinese foreign minister to Thailand, where Yi also met the day before with the United States security advisor, Jake Sullivan, “to maintain strategic communication and responsible management” of the relations between the two countries.
Yi's visit also served to deepen ties between Thailand and China on various fronts and explore ways to “advance cooperation comprehensively in all areas.”
“We are committed to supporting each other in all dimensions of our relations,” which include areas such as trade, investment, security and culture, the Thai minister stressed.
Likewise, Parnpree and Yi held meetings to discuss “key regional and international situations”, such as the humanitarian crisis in Burma (Myanmar), the Korean Peninsula and the conflict in the Middle East.
For his part, the Chinese foreign minister stated that the mutual visa exemption “officially” inaugurates a “new era” and will take exchange between the two countries to “new levels”, while predicting that “there will be a great increase in the number of Chinese tourists who will visit Thailand.
Yi also highlighted that the Asian giant has always seen Thailand as “a diplomatic priority” and praised the country's “firm commitment” in its support of the “one China” principle, by which the only legitimate government is that of Beijing in the midst of the geopolitical tensions that prevail in the Pacific.
“Guided by the important consensus between the leaders of our two countries, China is willing to work with Thailand to jointly deepen building a more stable, prosperous and sustainable China-Thailand community with a joint future, and provide more stability and certainty for a changing and turbulent world,” he added.
EFE
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