Thailand, China Vow to Jointly Fight Transnational Crime

TaiwanPlus News

Chinese President Xi Jinping called on Thailand and China to deepen mutual trust in the face of global challenges during a meeting as part of Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra's four-day visit to China.

Transcript

00:00A show of confidence in Thai-Chinese relations during Thai Prime Minister Phetthongtan Shinawatra's

00:06first official visit to Beijing.

00:11At a time when Bangkok has been working to regain the confidence of Chinese tourists

00:16amid reported kidnappings in the Southeast Asian country, Phetthongtan's meeting with

00:21Chinese President Xi Jinping comes on the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between

00:27the two countries.

00:29Xi used the occasion to commend Thailand's efforts in fighting online scams, Phetthongtan

00:36agreeing to jointly boost policing of the issue, among other collaborations.

00:41I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the cooperation of the two countries to

00:46ensure that this special relationship between Thailand and China will continue in the future.

00:55Thailand has been working to quell safety concerns by potential tourists, especially

00:59those from China, who make up the largest share of the country's visitors, even with

01:05an AI-generated video of Phetthongtan making a speech in Chinese.

01:14It comes after a Chinese actor was allegedly trafficked last month across the Thai border

01:20to neighboring Myanmar, a hub for global multi-billion dollar scam centers.

01:26The actor Wang Xing is one of thousands of Chinese nationals reportedly targeted by scams.

01:35After Wang's ordeal, local media reported around 10,000 Chinese tourists cancelled their

01:41trips to Thailand, a threat to the Southeast Asian economy that relies on the sector for

01:46almost 20% of its GDP.

01:52Hours before Phetthongtan left for Beijing, Thailand cut power to several border areas

01:58in Myanmar to thwart operations of online scam factories, many of them thought to be

02:03run by Chinese criminal gangs.

02:17Aside from fraud, Xi and Phetthongtan pledged more cooperation on the digital economy, EVs

02:24and infrastructure, including finalizing a delayed high-speed rail project linking

02:33Thailand directly to China through Laos.

02:38Beijing faces a new trade war with the U.S., with U.S. President Donald Trump at the helm.

02:45Though Thailand is a long-time U.S. ally, it maintains strong ties with top trading

02:50partner China, relations that Beijing could rely more heavily on.

02:55Thailand has become the big half of the industry of China, especially cars and some small technology.

03:03Thailand will become more strategic partner for Thailand, not only in the economic term

03:10but in security term.

03:13I think China will look to Thailand closely.

03:20Amid rising tensions between the world's two superpowers, the Thai government's challenge

03:25will be to maintain its long-standing neutral position as a friend to both Washington and

03:31Beijing, building its prosperity at home and throughout the region.

03:36Dolphin Chen and Joyce Sun for Taiwan Plus.

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