Thai King set to make first visit to China in 50 years
Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn is set to arrive in China on Thursday, marking the first visit by a reigning Thai monarch in half a century.
The visit comes at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Thailand and China re-establishing diplomatic ties. Reports suggest Beijing has been encouraging this visit for several years, News.Az reports, citing BBC.
While Thailand remains a military ally of the United States, its relations with China have strengthened in recent years. Ties with Washington have faced strains due to US criticism of human rights in Thailand, tariffs imposed during Donald Trump’s presidency, and perceptions of a declining US commitment to its Asian allies.
In a statement, the Thai government said the visit “underlines the deep-rooted friendship and mutual understanding shared between Thailand and China at all levels.”
During the trip to Beijing, the king and Queen Suthida will visit landmarks such as the Lingguang Buddhist Temple and Beijing Aerospace City. President Xi and his wife will host a state banquet for the Thai royals.
China is Thailand’s largest trading partner and an increasingly significant source of military equipment, rivaling the US. Cultural ties are also strong, with many Thais tracing their ancestry to Chinese migrants, a relationship Beijing often emphasizes as “brotherly” or familial.
The growing influence of China in Thailand has been reflected in several government actions, including the deportation of 40 Uyghur asylum seekers earlier this year, despite warnings from the US, and the censorship of an art exhibition featuring Uyghur and Tibetan artists in Bangkok after Chinese diplomatic complaints. China has also exerted pressure on Thailand to curb scam operations near the Myanmar border and influenced domestic debates on casino legalization.
This will be King Vajiralongkorn’s first major state visit since ascending the throne nine years ago. In April, he made an inaugural trip to Bhutan.
Thailand and China first severed ties in 1949 after the Chinese Communist Party took power. During the Cold War, high-profile overseas trips by his father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, focused on the United States, reflecting Thailand’s strategic partnership with Washington.
However, Princess Sirindhorn, the king’s younger sister, has played a pivotal role in rebuilding Thai-Chinese relations over the past 45 years through her study of Chinese language and art and frequent visits to China.
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