Thailand and China Revive Joint Meeting Platform After 8 Years, Boosting SME and E-Commerce Cooperation
Thailand and China revived their joint economic cooperation platform after eight years, with plans to boost SME access to Chinese markets and collaborate on premium agricultural products and functional foods.
Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Supachai Panitchpakdi announced a bilateral discussion with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng on May 23, 2025, during the APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting in Suzhou, China, aimed at elevating economic and trade cooperation between the two nations. Thailand-China relations have strengthened significantly, particularly marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties last year and following the formal royal visit by the Thai King and Queen in November 2024, which the Thai side appreciated along with warm welcomes from President Xi Jinping and the Chinese people.
Thailand commended China's latest national economic and social development plan, which emphasizes digital economy and green economy for high-quality development through technology and innovation—aligning with Thailand's goal to increase product value and enhance national competitiveness. Supachai proposed a pilot cooperation project to upgrade Thai products to premium-quality goods for the Chinese market, leveraging Thailand's agricultural resources combined with Chinese technology and innovation. Functional foods and age-friendly products were suggested as pilot categories, matching China's silver economy initiative and strengthening Thailand's food security role.
Thailand also requested China support Chinese investors in using more Thai resources in production, creating mutual benefit opportunities for manufacturing and investment cooperation with global export potential. The country emphasized promoting SME roles and proposed raising standards and inspection procedures for both sides' products to prevent negative impacts on Thai SMEs while enabling Thai SME products to access the Chinese market. Thailand sought Chinese support in establishing a "Thai National Pavilion" on major Chinese online platforms to expand market access.
Supachai stated that Thailand's proposals addressed both sides' interests, with the Chinese vice premier agreeing to establish a working group to implement the discussed points and report to the Thailand-China joint trade, investment, and economic cooperation committee. Both nations agreed to schedule follow-up meetings.
