China’s President Xi Jinping met with Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra in Beijing on Thursday, according to the official Xinhua news agency. The two countries are looking to strengthen their ties amid increasing global uncertainties.
Paetongtarn is on an official visit to China from February 5 to 8. This visit marks her first trip to Beijing since she took office in August last year.
The four-day visit aligns with the 50th anniversary of China-Thailand diplomatic relations. However, this milestone is overshadowed by issues such as online fraud and safety concerns.
A recent high-profile case involving Chinese actor Wang Xing has sparked significant discussion in China. Wang traveled to Thailand for what he believed was an acting job but was abducted and later rescued from a scam center in Myanmar. This incident has raised alarms about cross-border telecom scams.
Thailand is worried about the potential impact on its vital tourism sector. The country has been actively working to reassure Chinese tourists, who make up the largest group of visitors to Thailand.
On Tuesday, the Thai government announced plans to cut electricity supply to certain border areas with Myanmar. This measure aims to curb the operations of illegal scam centers.
According to the United Nations, Southeast Asia, particularly border towns in Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos, has become a hub for telecom and online fraud since the COVID-19 pandemic. The UN reports that hundreds of thousands of people have been trafficked to work in these scam centers.
The discussions between Xi and Paetongtarn also occur as Beijing faces a new trade war with the United States. This trade conflict began when U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a sweeping 10% tariff on all Chinese imports.
In November of last year, Thai Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthaphan stated that Thailand maintains a good balance between the U.S. and China. He expressed optimism that Thailand would benefit from the trade war, as Thai exports to the U.S. would likely increase due to the reduced imports from China.
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