China to enhance cooperation with Thailand: Xi

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, Sept. 4, 2017. Prayut is in Xiamen to attend the Dialogue of Emerging Market and Developing Countries scheduled for Sept. 5. (Xinhua/Ma Zhancheng)

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Monday, calling for enhanced bilateral cooperation in various fields.

Prayut is in the southeastern Chinese coastal city of Xiamen to attend the Dialogue of Emerging Market and Developing Countries scheduled for Sept. 5.

China appreciates Thailand's active participation in the Belt and Road Initiative, and is willing to strengthen cooperation with Thailand in areas of investment, railways, Internet finance, digital economy and e-commerce, Xi said.

China attaches great importance to China-Thailand friendly relations, and will, as always, respect the development path Thailand chooses in accordance with its own situation, according to the president.

He expects the two countries to advance their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, and maintain close high-level contacts.

The president called for more people-to-people exchanges, closer communication in tourism and between local regions, and enhanced cooperation in law enforcement and security, and anti-terrorism in particular.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of ASEAN, and the year of 2018 marks the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the China-ASEAN strategic partnership.

China hopes that Thailand will exert its unique influence to elevate the Lancang-Mekong cooperation and China-ASEAN relationship to higher levels, Xi said.

Prayut said Thailand is willing to maintain high-level contacts with China, deepen bilateral and multi-lateral cooperation, consolidate political mutual trust, expand economic and trade exchanges, promote mutual investment, enhance people-to-people exchanges and strengthen cooperation in such fields as education, scientific research and infrastructure.

Thailand supports and will actively participate in the Belt and Road Initiative and the Lancang-Mekong cooperation, he said.

After the meeting, the two leaders witnessed the signing of a series of bilateral cooperation documents.