Sino-Thai family now new era partners

The long-awaited trip to China by His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua and Her Majesty Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana is now official, with the state visit scheduled from Thursday to Monday. The historic visit will be the first by a reigning Thai monarch. Both countries, which established diplomatic ties in 1975, are also commemorating the golden jubilee of their friendship.

- Kavi Chongkittavorn

This file photo, dated Nov 18, 2022, shows Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua, Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya, First Lady of China Peng Liyuan and Her Majesty Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana at the Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall inside the Grand Palace in Bangkok.

(ROYAL HOUSEHOLD BUREAU)

The trip has been in the making since Chinese President Xi Jinping invited the King. The two met when Xi participated in the Apec leaders’ meeting hosted by Bangkok in November 2022.

The five-day visit comes amid the fastshifting geopolitical landscape in the region and beyond. It is also an opportunity to redefine what the next 50 years of Thai-Chinese relations would look like. After all, China has become one of the world’s most powerful countries, meaning that Thailand must navigate a more complex world.

For the past decades, the phrase zhong-tai yijia qin, which means China and Thailand are one family, has been the motto of the relationship. It reflects a special warmth rooted in history, culture and kinship, nurtured by economic and political pragmatism. Given the current global environment, good old sentiment alone is no longer enough. China is a growing global power. Beijing now also has economic and technological influences affecting the nature of its engagement with Thailand and the rest of Southeast Asia.

To sustain a healthy friendship into the next five decades, the relationship must become transformative and anchored in strategy, mutual respect and interest, and a deeper understanding of China's power dynamics.