Member of Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee Zhang Dejiang met Thai Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak in Guangzhou yesterday (July 26).

Zhang said that enterprises from both countries should strengthen cooperation and that he welcomes Thai entrepreneurs to invest in Guangdong. The Sino-Thai trading volume was 21.8 billion US dollars in 2005 and trade between Guangdong and Thailand was already up to 7 billion US dollars accounting for one-third of the total.

In the meeting, the two exchanged ideas regarding the cooperation of Pan-Pearl River Delta and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Jatusripitak also expressed sympathy on behalf of the Thai government for the losses in recent flood disasters. He said that Thai Government will donate 2,000 tons of rice to Guangdong's affected areas.

Editor: Yan