Li said the relations would not have been so good but for the importance attached to them by the Thai king and other members of the royal family.

The Chinese official met the king at the royal summer palace in Hua Hin, 280 kilometers south of the Thai capital Bangkok.

Li, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People's Congress, said China is confident that the traditional friendship will further develop and expand and that the people of the two countries will be friends for generations. Li said China would be happy to have the royal family visit China often.

King Bhumibol said the visit enhances the friendly cooperation between the two countries, and further strengthens the traditional friendship between the two peoples.

The king also spoke highly of the great achievements made by China in agriculture and many other fields in the past years.

In particular, he acclaimed the construction of the Three Gorges project as a wise and correct decision, saying the project can fully tap China's hydropower resources. The king also sent his sincere condolences to the flood victims in China.

Li arrived in Bangkok on Tuesday on a five-day official visit. It is Li's second visit to Thailand in his capacity as China's top legislator.

When meeting former Thai Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai on Tuesday, Li said that, as China faces the new challenges brought by its accession to the World Trade Organization, it wishes to learn from Thailand on how to cope with the situation since Thailand has rich experience in this respect.

Beijing-based observers said they see Li's trip as a step aimed at boosting Sino-Thai relations following Bangkok's decision to deny a visa to Taiwan "labor minister" Chu Chen, who is reported to be planning to visit Thailand.

(China Daily September 5, 2002)