Ex-Thai deputy PM: King's historic China visit to boost ties

The upcoming state visit by Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua to China is of great significance to not only the bilateral cooperation between Thailand and China, but will also contribute to regional peace and development, said Phinij Jarusombat, former deputy prime minister and minister of public health of Thailand.

"The visit (by King Maha) is a historic one because this will mark the first visit by a Thai monarch to China since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries," said Phinij.

As this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-Thailand diplomatic relations, Phinij said the two countries have shared close relations since ancient times and bilateral relations have developed greatly over the past five decades.

The visit will further enhance the two countries' friendship, which will not only contribute to the peace and cooperation between Thailand and China but also benefit the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, he said.

Phinij was speaking to China Daily on the sidelines of the "We Are the World" Bangkok 2025 -- Global Biohealth, AI Innovation & Traditional Medicine Fusion Cooperation Summit on Nov 9.

Organized by We Are the World, a global health platform launched in October by Hong Kong entrepreneur Adrian Cheng Chi-kong and partners, the event brought together leading medical experts and tech companies from across the globe to showcase major medical breakthroughs and discuss international health cooperation, including innovative solutions that integrate traditional Chinese medicine with modern technology.

Phinij said there is room for Thailand and China to cooperate in the building of a Health Silk Road and form joint research in traditional medicine and artificial intelligence-enabled healthcare solutions.