Thai-Sino trade targeted to increase over 15% by 2017

BANGKOK, April 16 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra announced Monday that her government has targeted Thai-Sino trade and investment to increase by 15 per cent over the next five years. Speaking to reporters prior to her official visit to China, scheduled for April 17-19, Yingluck acknowledged that, apart from government officials, representatives of some 100 Thai private firms will also accompany her during the three-day trip to China. According to the Pheu Thai premier, the Thai private sector is scheduled to meet leading Chinese business operators and both sides will sign agreements on bilateral cooperation aimed to boost the Thai-Sino trade and investment in order to meet the target by 2017. The prime minister said that her administration has paid attention to the growing and immense Chinese market, which is one of Thailand's major trading partners, cushioned by China's expanding roles in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), where Thailand is a key member and a potential business gateway, and sound bilateral relations between Bangkok and Beijing. Premier Yingluck told journalists that Bangkok and Beijing will also raise bilateral strategic partnership during her visit to China this week, at the invitation of her Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao, also aimed to further strengthen ties and cooperation for the sake of Thailand's national development in various sectors in the long run, expected through new high speed train, water management and alternative energy projects. (TNA)