Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn arrived in Beijing on the 13th for a 5-day state visit to China, accompanied by Prime Minister Anutin. This is the first visit to China by a Thai King since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Thailand 50 years ago, and also the first official foreign visit made by King Vajiralongkorn.
China and Thailand officially established diplomatic relations on July 1, 1975, and in 2012 established a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.
On the morning of the 14th, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn, who is on a state visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Before the meeting, Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan held a welcoming ceremony for King Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida at the East Gate Square of the Great Hall of the People.
Upon the King's arrival, honor guards lined up to salute. Xi Jinping and King Vajiralongkorn mounted the review stand, the military band played the Chinese national anthem and the Thai Royal Anthem, and a 21-gun salute was fired at Tiananmen Square. Accompanied by Xi Jinping, King Vajiralongkorn reviewed the honor guard of the Chinese People's Liberation Army and watched the troop march-past.
Xi Jinping stated that King Vajiralongkorn has chosen China as his first state visit to a major country and has become the first Thai King to visit China since the establishment of diplomatic ties, fully demonstrating the great importance attached to China-Thailand relations and the profound affection of "China and Thailand as one family."
Xi Jinping said that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Thailand and the "Golden 50 Years of China-Thailand Friendship." Over half a century of diplomatic ties, the two countries have always stood side by side and helped each other even amid international changes, being real good relatives, good friends, and good partners.
Xi Jinping said: "Standing at a new historical starting point, I am willing to join King Vajiralongkorn in leading the building of a China-Thailand community with a shared future to achieve greater progress in the next 50 years and jointly write a new chapter in China-Thailand friendship."
King Vajiralongkorn said he was delighted to pay a state visit to China. Having come to China again after many years, he saw great changes in China, with a brand new look of both a modern and beautiful China, and congratulated China on the significant achievements in its economic and social development. Thailand and China are close and friendly, people-to-people exchanges are frequent, and mutually beneficial cooperation is extensive and in-depth. Cooperation between Thailand and China is the cooperation of brothers. Thailand is willing to actively learn from China’s development experience, expand cooperation in various fields with China, enhance cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and let Thailand-China friendship take deeper root in people’s hearts.