China, Thailand pledge closer ties during Thai PM's visit

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R) shakes hands with Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra in Beijing, capital of China, April 17, 2012. (Xinhua/Zhang Duo)

Premier Wen Jiabao and his Thai counterpart Yingluck Shinawatra met in Beijing on Tuesday, vowing to forge closer bilateral relations.China appreciates Yingluck's emphasis on bilateral cooperation and believes that her visit will further deepen mutual trust and promote bilateral ties, Wen said.
Yingluck postponed her China visit last year because of a serious flood in Thailand last October.
Yingluck said she is confident that her current visit will be a success in terms of advancing bilateral relations, adding that Vice President Xi Jinping's visit to Thailand last December greatly boosted bilateral cooperation in multiple areas.
Yingluck arrived in Beijing Tuesday afternoon for a three-day official visit to China. It is her first China visit since she became Thailand's Prime Minister last August.
Media reports said executives from about 100 Thai companies have joined Yingluck on her trip to discuss and exchange ideas with their Chinese counterparts.
According to Chinese Customs statistics, China is both the largest export market and second-largest import source for Thailand. The two countries' trade volume hit 64.7 billion U.S. dollars in 2011.