On Feb 4, Ceremony of Exchanging Greetings of 2019 "Happy Chinese New Year" was held in Bangkok. Jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Thailand, the Chinese Embassy in Thailand and the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Lyu Jian, Chinese Ambassador to Thailand, and Weerasak Kowsurat, Minister of Tourism and Sports of Thailand, on behalf of the Chinese and Thai sides, extended New Year greetings to the people of the two countries.
In his speech, Ambassador Lyu Jian said that the Chinese New Year is an important cultural link and a wonderful festival hoped for by the Chinese and Thai people. This year marked 15th year of jointly celebrations between China and Thailand. During recent years, cultural and tourism cooperation has become increasingly close, and the celebrations as "Happy Chinese New Year" have injected new vitality to our relationship. In 2018, China’s "belt and road" initiative deeply connected with Thailand 4.0 and Eastern Economic Corridor Plan of Thailand. The close cooperation between China and Thailand brought real convenience and benefits to the two peoples. In 2019, China and Thailand will further promote the pragmatic cooperation of culture and tourism to the people to people connections. We will make efforts to set the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation between China and Thailand as an example for the new type of international relations. Our relationship of "China and Thailand one family" will be grew stronger.
On behalf of the Thai Government, Minister Weerasak welcomed Chinese guests to the Happy Chinese New Year celebrations in Thailand. He said that the celebration of the Chinese New Year in Thailand embodies the special relationship between the two countries. China and Thailand are brothers with close economic and trade ties and possess long-term friendly relations. He expressed his gratitude for the Chinese government for bringing wonderful performances and happiness to Thai people. He extended wishes to the people of the two countries and the Chinese people all over the world with happiness, good health, luck and auspiciousness and all the best.
Ambassador Lyu Jian and Minister Weerasak Kowsurat also spoke to media from China and Thailand. Ambassador Lyu expressed his great pleasure in feeling the strong Chinese New Year atmosphere in Bangkok. He said the Chinese Embassy held a "Open Day Celebration of the Chinese New Year" a few days ago. We’re honored to receive HRH Princess Sirindhorn at the Embassy to celebrate the Spring Festival with the diplomats and guests from China and Thailand. At present, pragmatic cooperation in various fields between China and Thailand has been smoothly promoted, among which cooperation in people-to-people exchanges is an important part. We are willing to strengthen cooperation in tourism and culture with Thailand to promote the connection between peoples of the two countries.
Art troupes with more than 170 people from different provinces and areas brought wonderful performances and to the audience. During the Spring Festival, the most important traditional festival in China, the performers would give up the opportunity and time to spend the festival with their own families and came to celebrate Spring Festival in Thailand.
The 2019 "Happy Chinese New Year" celebrations highlighting the integration of culture and tourism will be held from January 24 to February 18. A total of 309 people of 13 cultural groups from 10 provinces (municipalities and autonomous regions) organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China, will hold performance, food tasting, tourism promotion and exhibitions in Bangkok and other provinces of Thailand.