Napintorn Srisunpang, Thailand's Deputy Minister of Commerce:
Looking Forward to Deepening Cooperation with Chongqing
The Sichuan-Chongqing and Mekong Countries Sub-National Cooperation Forum 2023 took place in Chongqing on November 23. The event aimed to enhance collaboration between the Chinese region and the Mekong countries, including Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. Representatives from the political and business sectors gathered in Chongqing to discuss economic and trade cooperation, connectivity, and other topics to drive high-quality development in local cooperation among the countries on the Lancang and Mekong rivers.
"This year marks the seventh year of the Lancang-Mekong cooperation. I appreciate China's crucial role in fostering economic cooperation in the Lancang-Mekong region, which has become a model for cooperation in other regions," said Napintorn Srisunpang, Thailand's Deputy Minister of Commerce.
Chongqing is a region of immense potential and strategic significance in China.
This was Srisunpang’s first stop in China as Thailand's Deputy Minister of Commerce. "Chongqing is a region of immense potential and strategic significance in China. It serves as an international logistics hub, connects West China to Central Asia and Europe, and additionally, is a crucial point in the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, with shipping routes from Chongqing to Thailand and railway projects like the Chongqing-Laos Railway and China-Thailand Railway," said Srisunpang, acknowledging Chongqing's advantageous geographical position and its role in facilitating cooperation among several countries.
The Thai Ministry of Commerce is ready to support entrepreneurs leveraging these transportation routes. There is a keen interest in establishing partnerships with Chongqing and Sichuan Province, particularly in cooperation on train schedules, establishing cross-border transportation agreements, and facilitating the transport of goods to reduce logistics costs and shorten delivery times.
Ongoing improvements to Thailand's Lat Krabang port, which, upon completion, will directly connect to Chongqing, further enhancing trade between China, Thailand, and other Mekong member countries.
Actively promoting economic and trade exchanges
According to Srisunpang, Thailand is currently focusing on comprehensive regional connectivity, especially promoting the construction and development of trade and investment economic zones in the Mekong region. To boost regional trade, Thailand sees significant potential in transporting consumer goods via the Mekong River, emphasising the need for practical and effective cooperation in water resource management.
The Thai Ministry of Commerce also emphasised the importance of strengthening economic cooperation with Chinese provinces, focusing on fostering connections between Thai entrepreneurs and their counterparts in Chongqing and Sichuan Province. Srisunpang expressed hope that entrepreneurs can establish new trade channels for continuous development by participating in bilateral trade exhibitions and delegation exchanges and promoting cross-border e-commerce.
Significant Sino-Thai economic and trade achievements
2023 marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. With the effectiveness of RCEP, Sino-Thai economic and trade relations have entered a new stage of development. China has been Thailand's largest trading partner for 10 consecutive years, and in 2022, China became Thailand's largest source of investment. Economic and trade cooperation between Chongqing and Thailand is also growing. In 2022, the total import and export volume between Chongqing and Thailand was 18.5 billion CNY, accounting for 15% amongst ASEAN, while the cumulative investment amount in Thailand is 35 million USD.
