Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha on Sunday pledged Thailand's full cooperation for China's transport developments in Thailand when he met President Xi Jinping ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Beijing.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, left, meets Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Sunday. The Apec 2014 Summit and related meetings will be held in Beijing from Nov 5-11, gathering leaders of 21 member economies.
Government spokesman Yongyuth Mayalarp said Gen Prayut agreed to cooperate in order to help develop the region's full economic potential.
Gen Prayut praised Beijing’s strategy of developing the 1,800-kilometre Highway R3A, which links Kunming, the capital of southern China’s Yunnan province, and Bangkok, as well as the expansion of its rail network to Thailand’s northern border.
Gen Prayut said he valued the project which passes through Laos and enters Thailand in Chiang Rai province.
The prime minister said Thailand would work with China in developing its double track railway to provide links between China and Thailand and other countries in the region.
Gen Prayut supported Beijing’s policy to internationalise the yuan and said he hoped the two countries would sign an agreement on clearing and settlement of yuan transactions soon.
The two countries also agreed to expand mutual cooperation on education, technology, research and innovation by launching a joint project for both Thai and Chinese scientists to meet and work together, Mr Yongyuth said.
Mr Xi, meanwhile, has promised US$40 billion (1.3 trillion baht) to help Asian nations improve trade links in a new effort to assert Beijing’s ambitions as a regional leader.
Gen Prayut is visiting China for the Apec summit which starts on Monday. Among those attending are US President Barack Obama, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other regional leaders.
The Apec region contained 40% of the world's population, nearly half its trade and more than half its GDP.
