Call for China, Thailand to beef up ties to fight global uncertainties

China and Thailand should deepen trust in each other and expand co-operation to counter growing global uncertainties, President Xi Jinping said yesterday during a meeting in Beijing with Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.The Thai leader’s official visit to China from February 5-8 is her first since taking office in August, marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.Xi cited projects such as a high-speed railway set to link Bangkok with southwestern China’s Kunming, adding that digital economy and electric vehicles were additional areas for greater co-operation."In the face of unprecedented changes not seen for a 100 years, China and Thailand should deepen mutual trust over strategic interests and firmly support each other,” state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) quoted Xi as saying.His remarks follow US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose fresh tariffs of 10% on imports from China.Online fraud and safety concerns have topped the issues between the two, particularly after Chinese actor Wang Xing was rescued from a scam centre in Myanmar following his abduction in Thailand, to which he was lured on the pretext of an acting job.After his high-profile alleged kidnapping, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Thailand during the Lunar New Year holiday sharply declined in comparison to previous years.Thailand has sought to allay safety concerns among the Chinese, who contribute the largest group of visitors to the Southeast Asian nation."The safety of people and tourists visiting Thailand is the government’s highest priority,” Paetongtarn said, adding that both nations would co-operate on a warning system to fight crime. "Thailand is ready to work with China to suppress criminal activity that passes through Thailand.”On Tuesday, the Thai government said it would cut electricity to some areas bordering Myanmar in a bid to rein in the activities of scam centres.Xi said China appreciated the Thai measures to combat online gambling and telecom fraud, calling for both to strengthen law enforcement as well as security and judicial co-operation to safeguard people’s lives and property.China is a hugely important market for Thailand as it seeks to rebuild its tourism sector in the wake of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.