Commerce minister views China as strategic partner

BANGKOK, April 15 (TNA) -- Thailand and China should boost their strategic partnership, the commerce minister has suggested. Thailand and China were able to promote cooperation in many areas as their national development policies went along with each other in similar directions, Commerce Minister Apiradi Tantraporn said. Thailand was developing 10 particular industries while China was promoting worldwide investment, she said. Ms Apiradi viewed that Thailand could welcome China’s participation in the 10 targeted industries, the development of the Eastern Economic Corridor, infrastructure development and supply chain improvement among others. The commerce minister also pointed out that China was the leader in the new mega trends of the world, including urbanisation, online commerce, high-speed transport and logistics and green economy. With its huge population of young people and consumers, China had big purchasing power in the new global economic system, she said. Following the mega trends, the Commerce Ministry is promoting Thai products in secondary markets, targeting those with healthy purchasing power like the elderly and people at working ages via online channels, and organizing trade fairs in China to support the promotion, Mrs Apiradi said. The minister also suggested that Thai product and service exporters make use of free trade agreements and investment incentives with China. China was the most important trading partner of Thailand last year with the value of bilateral trade reaching 2.32 trillion baht, Ms Apiradi said. Last year Thailand exported products with 833.86 billion baht to China including tapioca, plastic pellets and rubber. Thailand imported Chinese products worth 1.49 trillion baht including electrical machines, electrical appliances and machinery. The Commerce Ministry predicted the bilateral trade to grow by 4% this year. (TNA)