The Royal Thai Consulate-General in Guangzhou hosted a reception on December 2 to mark the National Day of the Kingdom of Thailand and Thailand's Father's Day, coinciding with The Birthday Anniversary of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great.
The event gathered Thai and Chinese officials, along with representatives from the consular community in Guangzhou.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Kajtiti Wiwatwanont, Consul-General of Thailand in Guangzhou, expressed his honor in commemorating two significant occasions in 2025: Thailand's National Day and the "50th anniversary of Thailand-China diplomatic relations", hailed as the "Golden 50 Years" of friendship. He highlighted the recent state visit to Beijing by Their Majesties the King and Queen of Thailand as a historic milestone and a testament to the close bond between the two nations.
Mr. Kajtiti Wiwatwanont, Consul-General of Thailand in Guangzhou, addresses the occasion
The Consul-General noted that Guangdong has long been a pivotal hub for Thailand-China economic and trade relations, contributing approximately one-quarter of the total bilateral trade. He emphasized that the Consulate-General builds upon deep-rooted people-to-people ties to foster cooperation and shared prosperity.
In this spirit, the Consulate has been actively promoting a comprehensive understanding of Thailand's key industries to unlock business opportunities. This includes organizing delegation visits for Guangdong officials and private sector representatives to Thailand in May to explore collaboration within frameworks such as the Eastern Economic Corridor and China's Greater Bay Area.
The Royal Thai Consulate-General in Guangzhou hosts a reception to mark the National Day
Looking toward the next 50 years, Mr. Wiwatwanont outlined efforts to advance cooperation in high-quality and advanced technology sectors. The Consulate has engaged leading enterprises in Guangzhou and Shenzhen and facilitated a delegation of 62 Thai healthcare experts to establish partnerships with local companies, with results expected next year.
Beyond bilateral relations, as the current Chair of the ASEAN Consular Corps in Guangzhou, he mentioned initiatives such as the ASEAN Open Day and the ASEAN-China Dialogue to enhance regional understanding and cooperation.
Mr. Wang Sheng, Vice Governor of Guangdong Province, then addressed the gathering. He reaffirmed the strong bilateral relationship, describing China and Thailand as "good neighbors, good friends, good relatives, and good partners," and echoed the deeply rooted notion that "China and Thailand Are One Family."
Thai dancers present a traditional dance performance at the reception
Governor Wang highlighted key achievements, including the "224.7 billion yuan" in two-way trade recorded in 2024, and acknowledged the role of Guangdong enterprises such as Huawei, BYD, AION, and Midea in Thailand. He commended the recent joint activities coordinated by the Thai Consulate-General for significantly enhancing exchanges.
Looking ahead, he expressed Guangdong's readiness to "jointly write a new chapter of Guangdong-Thailand cooperation" by aligning the development of the Greater Bay Area with Thailand's Eastern Economic Corridor, and to contribute to a "stable, prosperous, and sustainable China-Thailand community with a shared future."
The reception reinforced the enduring and forward-looking partnership between Thailand and Guangdong, with both sides committed to deepening collaboration in the years to come.
Reporter: Guo Zedong
Photo: The Royal Thai Consulate-General in Guangzhou
Editor: Yuan Zixiang, James Campion, Shen He
