On 18 December 2018, the Jiangxi Cultural and Tourism Promotion 2018 (Thailand) and Photo Exhibition of Beautiful Jiangxi Landscape, co-hosted by ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) and the People's Government of Jiangxi province was successfully held in Bangkok, Thailand. Mr. Korn Dabbaransi，former Vice Prime Minister of Thailand and Chairman of the Thai-Chinese Friendship Association, Mme. Wu Zhongqiong, Vice Governor of Jiangxi People's Government, Mr. Chen Dehai, Secretary-General of ACC, Mr. Chattan KunjaraNaatudhya, Deputy Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Mr. Yang Xin, Minister Counsellor of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Kingdom of Thailand, Ms. Siripan, Director-General of the Ministry of Culture of Thailand and representatives from tourism industry, friendly organizations, media organizations and overseas Chinese living in Thailand attended the event.
Former Vice Prime Minister Korn spoke highly of the Thailand-China traditional ties of "Jeen Thai PheeNong Gan" (China and Thailand are brothers). He recalled and shared his experience of visiting China for more than 100 times. He said that he has strong interests in the world heritage, traditional Chinese medicine and Taoism of Jiangxi, and looked forward to visiting Jiangxi soon. The "Belt and Road" is the belt of peace and road to prosperity, and also an important platform for Thailand and China to deepen cooperation. Both sides should seize the opportunity of jointly building the Belt and Road to promote common development and usher in a new era of Thailand-China relations.
Vice Governor Wu Zhongqiong briefed on the long history, unique scenery and robust economic and social development of Jiangxi. She said Jiangxi is actively pursuing an opening up policy and maintains close cooperation with Thailand in economy and people-to-people exchanges. In 2017, Nanchang city of Jiangxi started direct charter flights to Thai cities such as Bangkok, Pattaya and Krabi. Around 200,000 Jiangxi tourists visit Thailand each year, which has greatly enhanced the exchanges and friendship between the two peoples. She was keen to receive Thai friends to in Jiangxi and looked forward to working together to push forward the friendly exchanges and cooperation between Jiangxi and Thailand.
Secretary-General Chen Dehai said that the time-honored friendship between Thailand has been deeply rooted in the hearts of both people. The mutual beneficial cooperation has delivered tangible benefits to the people of both sides. He expected that under Thailand's chairmanship, ASEAN community building would achieve greater progress and ASEAN-China strategic partnership could be lifted to a new height. ACC would continue to play its bridging role, vigorously support the cooperation at local level and support Jiangxi's in expanding practical cooperation with ASEAN countries including Thailand.
Minister Counsellor Yang Xin said that China and Thailand are close neighbours with robust exchanges among the people. Under the Belt and Road Initiative, connectivity between the two has been strengthened and tourism cooperation has become a highlight in the bilateral strategic cooperation. ASEAN countries like Thailand are both important tourist resources and hot tourist destinations of Jiangxi. There is still large potential for enhancing tourism cooperation in future. He encouraged more Thai friends to visit China including Jiangxi, and expected that tourism cooperation could continue to make greater contributions to the friendship between the two peoples.
At the promotion event, participants toured the Photo Exhibition with great interest, enjoyed the music played with porcelain instruments presented by Jiangxi artists and the demonstration of Jiangxi intangible cultural heritage handcraft such as Guangxin paper cutting, XinyuXiabu embroidery and Huaiyu stone pot. The guests expressed willingness to contribute more to enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between the people of Thailand and China.
During the stay in Bangkok, Secretary-General Chen Dehai also met with Mr. Korn Dabbaransi, former Vice Prime Minister of Thailand and Mr. Lyu Jian, Ambassador of China to Thailand, and exchanged views on promoting Thailand-China friendly exchanges and practical cooperation.
