Thailand and China's Henan province have pledged to strengthen aviation and investment cooperation through Thailand's Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) scheme and China's Silk Road Fund for transport linkage projects.
An agreement was reached in a meeting Sunday between Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak and Chen Run'er, governor of Henan province, in Bangkok. The meeting also discussed cooperation in developing the tourism industries in both countries.
Thailand's EEC, in particular, would offer an important route that would link to China's One Belt, One Road initiative.
The initiative has become the focal point of China's economic diplomacy, with the goal of promoting regional and cross-continental connectivity between China and Eurasia.
The One Belt, One Road initiative involves China's proposed Silk Road Economic Belt and Maritime Silk Road project. The project's connectivity covers five major areas of interest: policy coordination, infrastructure construction (including railways and highways), unimpeded trade, financial integration and people-to-people ties. Among these, infrastructure construction is the dominant feature of the New Silk Road.
Chinese President Xi Jinping announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January that China will host a "One Belt, One Road" summit in Beijing this May to brainstorm interconnected development.
Henan is one of the most important provinces of China and it is labelled the future hub of China's aviation logistics, Mr Somkid said after Sunday's meeting.
Henan also has four to five special economic areas and most recently the entire province has been included in China's Zhongyuan Economic Zone because the Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport is located there, the deputy prime minister said. He said the airport serves as a logistics centre and a centre to connect to the One Belt, One Road project and Eurasia.
Henan has exceptional knowledge in economic development and Thailand can learn from it, he said. Zhongyuan Economic Zone, also known as Central Plains Economic Zone, is the proposed economic development zone for the economic region in Henan province, which is spreading to surrounding areas.
"The Henan governor complimented Thailand on its EEC development plan, which he said was complete.
He also invited us to travel to [Henan] to learn more about its development projects and said he wants Thai and Chinese investors to cooperate more," said Mr Somkid.
The Henan governor also pledged to support Chinese investors in Thailand's EEC, he said, adding that both sides also agreed that a Thai team would travel to Henan around the middle of this year to study which industries there might be of interest to Thailand.
Industry Minister Uttama Savanayana said it was agreed at the meeting that a team from Henan would come to Thailand first to work with the Thai side, after which the Thai team would go to Henan.
The meeting also discussed Thailand's desire for a special agreement with Henan regarding Thailand's EEC and Henan's industries, Mr Somkid said, adding bilateral cooperation on airport and seaport development should also be included as part of the special agreement.
If Thailand can connect to China's One Belt, One Road project, it would allow Thailand to connect to Europe through China's transport system; but if Thailand misses this opportunity, there may not be a second chance, the deputy premier said.
In the area of tourism, he said both sides talked about attracting quality tourists, measures to eradicate the so-called zero-dollar tour scams and a plan to increase the number of flights between Thailand and Henan.