On June 5, 2025, President Yang Wanming met in Anhui with Bhokin Bhalakula, former President of the Thai National Assembly and President of the Thai-Chinese Culture and Economy Association, who was visiting China at the invitation of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) to attend the 2025 RCEP Local Governments and Friendship Cities Cooperation (Huangshan) Forum. The two sides held in-depth discussions on strengthening China-Thailand friendship, promoting practical cooperation and jointly advancing regional economic integration, and reached broad and positive consensus.
President Yang noted that Thailand, guest of honor at this year's forum, plays an important role in promoting high-quality regional economic growth. At present, China-Thailand relations continue to enjoy sound, stable and rapid development. In February, President Xi Jinping met in Beijing with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. The two heads of state charted a new course for building a more stable, prosperous and sustainable China-Thailand community with a shared future. As this year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries—the "Golden Jubilee of China-Thailand Friendship", the CPAFFC is ready to implement the consensus reached by the two leaders and, together with partners across the Thai society, deepen people-to-people friendship, promote cultural exchanges and advance practical cooperation, thereby contributing to the process of regional integration.
Bhokin Bhalakula highly commended the forum's fruitful outcomes. He observed that, within the RCEP framework, cooperation between Thailand and China in infrastructure, connectivity, green energy and cultural exchange has yielded tangible benefits for the people of both countries. The Thai-Chinese Culture and Economy Association is committed to working closely with the CPAFFC to carry out broader and more diverse people-to-people initiatives. In July this year, the two organizations will co-host the Spirit of Mountains and Seas · Yuyuan Lantern Festival and 2025 China-Thailand Culture Month in Thailand, further celebrating the one-family bond between China and Thailand.
Zhu Dan, Director-General of the Department of East Asian Affairs, and Zhang Shengjun, Deputy Director-General of the General Office of the CPAFFC, were present at the meeting.
