Premier Wen Jiabao presented visiting Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra with DNA identification results from Thai tsunami victims, a move Beijing hopes will further improve bilateral relations to commemorate the 30th anniversary of official diplomatic relations between the two nations.??

During a meeting on Friday in Beijing, the leaders witnessed the signing of a series of biological, environmental, financial and quarantine agreements, as Thailand makes plans to open a consulate in northwestern Shaanxi Province's capital Xi'an.

 

Wen noted that Thaksin's visit, his first since taking office in March for a second term, demonstrated Thailand's commitment to improving bilateral relations.

 

Four aspects

 

Wen explained that the future development of Sino-Thai relations will focus primarily on four aspects: dialogue on international and regional issues to enhance strategic relations, exploration into new energy sources to strengthen trade cooperation, promotion of security cooperation and cross-cultural communication, and implementation of action plans for strategic partnerships between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

 

More cooperation called

 

Thaksin showed his appreciation for China's efforts to aid tsunami victims, calling for a more dynamic cooperative relationship, encouraging Chinese enterprises to expand business ventures in Thailand, with hopes that Thai businesses will find trade opportunities in south China's Pan-Pearl River Delta region.

 

Thaksin also looks forward to more Chinese tourists in Thailand, welcoming plans for a Chinese cultural center there.

 

GMS summit

 

Both sides expressed their desire to cooperate with participants in next week's second summit meeting of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), to achieve practical results in trade cooperation.

 

Wen and Thaksin, alongside leaders from Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, will take part in the summit meeting, taking place in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province.

 

After the meeting with Wen, Thaksin flew to Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, later on Friday. The province is ancestral home of many Thai-Chinese, including the Thai prime minister himself.

 

(China Daily July 2, 2005)