SG Shi Zhongjun Meets Deputy Permanent Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Thailand

On 4 March 2024, Secretary General Shi Zhongjun of the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) met with Deputy Permanent Secretary Phantipha Iamsudha Ekarohit of Foreign Affairs of Thailand in Bangkok. 

Secretary General Shi Zhongjun thanked the Thai government for its longstanding support to the ACC, and stressed that, under the current international landscape full of changes and challenges, ASEAN has been enjoying a sound momentum of growth and playing an increasingly significant role in global governance, while ASEAN-China relations are becoming more and more important in ensuring peace, stability and prosperity of our region and beyond. This year is the ASEAN-China Year of People-to-people Exchanges. The ACC will redouble its efforts to enhance its role as a linking bridge and constructive booster for quality and multifaceted cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between ASEAN and China, develop more concrete projects in such areas as youth, culture, education, tourism, and media, further raise public awareness of ASEAN in China, tap on potential of cooperation in emerging industries, so as to better serve the needs of both ASEAN and China and contribute more to the growth of ASEAN-China comprehensive strategic partnership. 

Deputy Permanent Secretary Phantipha expressed appreciation to the ACC's efforts in making ASEAN and ASEAN-China relations more known to and better understood by the peoples from both sides. She highlighted that Thailand has endeavored to improve ASEAN-China relations over the past years through a comprehensive strategic partnership focusing on peace, prosperity, security, amity and sustainable development, which is in line with President Xi Jinping's proposal to build "five homes" for both China and ASEAN. The Thai side will continue to play a proactive and constructive role in supporting the ACC in its future endeavors, and work with the ACC to explore more business opportunities for SMEs from both sides, conduct more exchanges in such fields as culture, tourism and youth between Thailand and China as well as ASEAN and China.