Chairman of China's top political advisory body to visit Thailand

BANGKOK, April 13 (TNA) - A top member of China’s political advisory body will pay an official good-will visit to Thailand starting next week from April 20. The visit by Jia Qingling of the “National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference,” or the PCC in short, would be the first by the executive body in 17 years. During a press briefing, Chinese Ambassador to Thailand Guan Mu said Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn would grant an audience to the Chinese envoy. This coming July marks the 37th anniversary of bilateral relations between China and Thailand. China remains to date the largest export market and second largest import source of Thailand. Two-way trade volume between the two sides hit 64.7 billion US dollars back in 2011. On his visit from April 20-25, Jia will meet with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont as well as Senate President Teeradej Meepien. The visit would genuinely aim to deepen ties between the two nations. Turning on to ASEAN issues, the Ambassador regarded ASEAN as having “impressive developments” over the past years, saying both China-Thailand and China-ASEAN cooperation could go the distance. He also spoke positively towards the integration of ASEAN as a single bloc in 2015, and said that he welcomed the next ASEAN Secretary General, who would be coming from Vietnam. (TNA)