Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn will embark on the first trip to China by a Thai monarch since the two nations established diplomatic ties half a century ago.
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The state visit, at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping and scheduled to take place from November 13 to 17, will make China “the first major country” that the Thai king has officially visited since ascending the throne in 2016, according to Beijing’s foreign ministry.
“In recent years…bilateral relations have maintained robust development. The two countries like one family are as close as ever,” ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Thursday.
“Through the visit, China looks forward to carrying forward the traditional friendship, consolidating political mutual trust [and] deepening mutually beneficial cooperation,” she added.
In a statement on Thursday, Thailand’s foreign ministry characterised the five-day trip as a “historic” visit that would show “the deep-rooted friendship and mutual understanding between the two countries at all levels”.
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Bangkok announced that the king and Queen Suthida would meet Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan at the Great Hall of the People, followed by an audience with Chinese Premier Li Qiang.