Belt and Road is drawing China and Thailand closer together

By Lyu Jian

 

 

Recently, I visited Khon Kaen, Nong Khai and Udon Thani in Thailand’s Northeast. At the Confucius Institute of Khon Kaen University, I attended the opening ceremony of the preparatory class for Thai vocational college students to study in China. I met 40 students from 15 vocational colleges in Thailand.

 

They will first study Chinese in the Confucius Institute and then learn logistics, electronics, machinery, computer and other professional knowledge in China’s vocational colleges. As these students prepare for their classes in China, 28 Thai students are learning high-speed rail technology at Liuzhou Railway Vocational Technical College in Guangxi, China.

 

In Nong Khai Province, I talked with local government officials and people from the business and overseas Chinese communities. They briefed me on the economic and social development of Nong Khai and expressed hope that the China-Lao Railway could be completed as soon as possible and extend southwards, so that the location advantage and economic potential of Nong Khai could be fully unleashed, attracting more investors and tourists.

 

The young students’ desire for knowledge and the expectations of people from all circles give me a strong feeling that we should speed up cooperation between China and Thailand under the Belt and Road so that more people and regions will benefit.

 

Since President Xi Jinping put forward the Belt and Road initiative in the autumn of 2013, the leaders of China and Thailand have held multiple meetings and reached important consensus on synergising China’s Belt and Road with the Thailand 4.0, Eastern Economic Corridor, and other Thai development strategies.

 

The two countries have signed memoranda of understanding on jointly promoting the Belt and Road and building the EEC. Friends from all walks of life in Thailand pay close attention to the progress of the cooperation. Many of them even know how to say Belt and Road in Chinese.

 

Over the past five years, we have witnessed the achievements of Belt and Road cooperation between China and Thailand. Construction of the China-Thailand railway, which is the flagship project in bilateral cooperation, began last December. The Rayong Industrial Park, jointly developed by Thai and Chinese enterprises, is now home to 110 Chinese-funded enterprises. It has drawn investment of US$2.9 billion, and created jobs for more than 30,000 local people. 

 

In recent years, leading Chinese enterprises such as Huawei, Alibaba and Jingdong have increased their investment in Thailand and actively participated in EEC development and also digitisation in Thailand. At present, we have 37,000 Chinese students in Thailand, and 27,000 Thai students in China. Last year, Chinese tourists made nearly 10 million visits to Thailand. China and Thailand have carried out rich and fruitful exchanges and cooperation in education, culture, science and technology.

 

Looking back on the achievements of cooperation between China and Thailand, we can see that the two countries are closely connected with each other as never before in terms of policy, infrastructure, trade, finance and people-to-people bonds. We can see that cooperation projects in various fields are making continuous progress, benefiting individuals, families and businesses. And we can feel that we are earning greater trust and understanding from the public. 

 

At the same time, we have also noted the resurgence of trade protectionism and unilateralism in some countries, which may have a negative impact on the multilateral trading system and cause disturbances to our cooperation. However, the trend of world multi-polarisation and economic globalisation is irreversible, and the concept of opening up, integration and win-win cooperation is gaining popularity. 

 

I believe that the Belt and Road initiative, which is based on the principle of “achieving shared growth through discussion and collaboration”, will bring more opportunities for China-Thailand practical cooperation, create more benefits for our two peoples, and enable China and Thailand to increase their affinity.

 

Lyu Jian is China’s ambassador to Thailand.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/opinion/30355291

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-09-27

"Construction of the China-Thailand railway, which is the flagship project in bilateral cooperation, began last December". 

 

Is the connection to infamous 3 Kilometer test track that started last December ?

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Over the past five years, we have witnessed the achievements of Belt and Road cooperation between China and Thailand. Construction of the China-Thailand railway, which is the flagship project in bilateral cooperation, began last December. The Rayong Industrial Park, jointly developed by Thai and Chinese enterprises, is now home to 110 Chinese-funded enterprises. It has drawn investment of US$2.9 billion, and created jobs for more than 30,000 local people. 

I had mistakenly thought China was a top dog in the investment market of Thailand but they were not even listed in this 2017 report from the Bank of Thailand. 

 

As in China is getting one step closer of owning SEA.

38 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

As in China is getting one step closer of owning SEA.

China has a long term goal to control all of Asia and possibly Africa as well. They are doing it the old fashioned way, investing, creating jobs and teaching locals their language, much the same as Britain and America used to do. I wonder what the cost/return ratio was for the peace corps?

3 hours ago, Dave67 said:

"Construction of the China-Thailand railway, which is the flagship project in bilateral cooperation, began last December". 

 

Is the connection to infamous 3 Kilometer test track that started last December ?

Dave, I posted a comment elsewhere here last week about this very subject.

As you say, since the PM's photo-op last year I haven't heard a word about it in the press. So I assume it's not down to my inability to find anything.

But as was said at the time (by he who must be obeyed) that it would be completed by 2021, so I don't want a punch in the face for arguing.

 

45 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Dave, I posted a comment elsewhere here last week about this very subject.

As you say, since the PM's photo-op last year I haven't heard a word about it in the press. So I assume it's not down to my inability to find anything.

But as was said at the time (by he who must be obeyed) that it would be completed by 2021, so I don't want a punch in the face for arguing.

 

That was the symbolic breaking of ground with a shovel , they must have lost the shovel ,hence the the possibility of the project coming in later that of 2021

Edited September 27, 20187 yr by Dave67

Those 5 double track projects are going ahead

China from many article I have read goes in a finances a public works project knowing full well the country can not pay back the lone. China ends up owning the project and has an ever tightening noose around the borrower's neck.

 

I do agree china is the big player in much of Asia and Africa... Smaller countries would like money and projects that will improve their existence..

 

All I can say is one better be aware of the many consequences before crawling into the nest with the Dragon.

Be careful of belts, they can tightened to where they're uncomfortable to wear.

32 minutes ago, 727Sky said:

China ends up owning the project and has an ever tightening noose around the borrower's neck.

 

Agree with this totally, China is in it for the long run and the end goal; it's not about the individual projects they fund in the many different countries right now, it's about many many years into the future.

Agree completely- China doesn't ever do anything out of the goodness of their heart. They are a danger to the World. Their goal is to absorb land in countries so they can control production of needed foods and other natural resources to keep China's human population fed and employed. In this way- they ensure the Communist Party and it's henchmen remain in power.

 

One of the ways to check them is through the Trans Pacific Partnership that Trump shelved because he prefers bilateral agreements.  While Trump is correct that China is a danger to the economic community as it protects its own industries and does not trade fairly- his use of tariffs will create problems Worldwide.  the Chinese have a huge amount of dollars in their system and keep buying into the American economy by financing American debt.

 

Trump needs to stop allowing the Chinese to buy up US Debt; ban the Chinese from sending their students to American Universities; force US Companies to relocate out of China y using huge tax incentives  and use the Dollar to push Chinese currency upward making Chinese products more expensive.