Chinese President Hu Jintao met with Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, deputy prime minister of Thailand, and his party in Beijing Tuesday.

Hu said that China and Thailand have maintained a long-term friendship and have a similar culture and common aspirations for prosperity and peace.

He added that Sino-Thai relations have maintained a good momentum of development in recent years. Thailand is China's important partner in Southeast Asia, and developing good relations with Thailand is China's consistent policy and also the consensus of the two countries, he said.

Hu expressed gratitude for the support of the Thai government to China on the Tibet and Taiwan issues.

He said China supports the cooperative and dialogue mechanism in Asia, which has been advocated by Thailand, and appreciates the role that Thailand has played in promoting relations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

He vowed to work with Thailand to further Sino-Thai good-neighborly relations.

Chavalit, who previously worked as the Thai defense minister and held some other important positions in the Thai government and army, now is in charge of security in Thailand.

He voiced his hope to promote contacts between the Chinese and Thai leaders to strengthen the friendly relations between the militaries of the two countries.

He said that the Thai side values relations with the Chinese military, and is ready to make joint efforts with China to safeguard regional peace and promote common prosperity.
 
(Xinhua News Agency September 3, 2003)