On February 11, 2023, Minister Wang Zhigang, the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China (MOST), met Minister Anek Laothamatas, the Thailand Ministsry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) in Beijing. The two sides made in-depth exchange of views to strengthen bilateral cooperation on science, technology and innovation (STI).

　　Minister Wang Zhigang extended a warm welcome to Minister Anek Laothamatas and his delegation. Wang Zhigang said that China and Thailand have maintained sound STI cooperation for a long time and in a wide range of fields, such as research policy, personnel exchange, research platform construction, joint research, technology transfer, and innovation and entrepreneurship. The cooperation has produced tangible results and made positive contribution to the development of friendly relationship between China and Thailand. In November 2022, President Xi Jinping went to Bangkok to attend the 29th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting and visited Thailand oficially. He and Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha have reached a consensus in building a more stable, prosperous and sustainable community with a shared future, which has charted the course for the future development of bilateral relations. Looking forward, MOST will implement the consensus reached by the two leaders and continue to strengthen STI cooperation. We will coordinate multilateral cooperation frameworks such as the China-ASEAN Science and Technology Partnership Program and the Belt and Road STI Action Plan, push for greater progress in bilateral cooperation, and make bigger contribution to the global initiative of building a community with a shared future for mankind.

　　Minister Anek Laothamatas thanked Minister Wang for his warm reception. He fully agrees with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s proposal of building a community with a shared future for mankind. Thailand is willing to become a hub for S&T exchanges and cooperation between China and ASEAN, so that the achievements of bilateral cooperation can benefit more people. He hopes that Chinese science community will actively participate in Thailand’s BCG and other S&T programs to drive leap-frog development of Thailand’s science and technology.

　　On February 9, Vice-Minister Zhang Guangjun invited Minister Anek Laothamatas for dinner and held friendly discussions about future cooperation.

　　On the Thailand side, Sirirurg Songsivilai, Permanent Secretary of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation; Benjamin Sukanjanajtee, Minister-counsellor of Royal Thai Embassy in China; Pasupha Chinvarasopak, Minister-counsellor of science and technology of Royal Thai Embassy in China, and officials from MHESI attended the meetings and dinner. On the Chinese side, Han Yu, Secretary General of the National Natural Science Foundation of China; Dai Gang, Director-General of the Department of International Cooperation, MOST; Xie Min, Director-General of the Department of Policy, Regulation and Innovation System, MOST; Liu Yuxin, Deputy Director of the General Office and First-class Inspector, MOST; Gao Xiang, Director-General of China Science and Technology Exchange Center; Deng Xiaoming, Director-General of China Rural Technology Development Center; Jia Jingdun, Director-General of the Torch High Technology Industry Development Center; Zhao Jing, Director-General of the National Remote Sensing Center of China; and Wang Rongfang, Director-General-level Counselor of the Department of International Cooperation, MOST, attended the meetings and dinner.