Wiraen Phichawangpadi, Director of the Thailand-China “Belt and Road” Research Center, stated in an exclusive interview with Xinhua News Agency that China is focusing on deepening comprehensive cooperation with neighboring countries and building a community of shared destiny with them. He emphasized that Chinese-style modernization offers more development opportunities to ASEAN countries, including Thailand.
Referring to the Central Surrounding Work Conference held in Beijing from April 8-9, Wiraen pointed out that the meeting demonstrated China’s strong emphasis on surrounding relations. He stated that China-ASEAN relations provide a concrete example of China’s foreign policy of fostering friendly and cooperative relationships with neighboring countries.
Wiraen highlighted significant progress in areas like infrastructure connectivity and trade relations between China and ASEAN. He stressed that China’s concept of a “community of shared destiny” is not just a political commitment but has been translated into tangible and visible results. For example, the China-Laos Railway has transformed Laos from a “landlocked” country into a “land-linked” country, which has increased interaction and cultural exchange between the two nations. He also mentioned the rapid progress in cooperation between China and Thailand in fields like new energy vehicles, green finance, and cross-border e-commerce.
Wiraen emphasized that China’s vision of building five major “homes” of peace, harmony, prosperity, beauty, and friendship highlights not only the relationship between ASEAN and China but also the shared responsibilities and historical missions of all Asian countries. He added that China has the potential to provide a secure development haven for countries in the global south.