On July 15, Ambassador Zhang Jianwei gave a written interview to Thailand's Daily News. The transcript of the questions and answers is as follows:
Q1: Mr. Ambassador, this year marks the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Under the leadership of the CPC, China has achieved remarkable progress that has drawn worldwide attention. The series of works entitled “Xi Jinping: The Governance of China” have been warmly received in Thailand. What is the secret behind the CPC’s success?
A: Since its founding, the CPC has united and led the Chinese people in winning national independence and people’s liberation, and has brought about the two miracles of rapid economic development and long-term social stability. It has blazed a path of modernization that not only benefits China itself but also contributes to the world. The CPC has grown from just over 50 members to the world’s largest governing party, with over 100 million members today.
The secret behind the CPC’s success lies in its six outstanding attributes. First, it upholds the truth of Marxism, steers the course in the right direction, and continuously explores, tests, and applies its principles in practice, ultimately leading China to achieve the historic leap from standing up and growing prosperous to becoming strong. Second, it remains rooted in the people and always maintains a solid foundation. From ensuring that no one is left behind in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects to ensuring that no one is left out in achieving common prosperity, the people-centered development philosophy has been translated into concrete action. Third, it courageously shoulders its historical missions, upholds the unity of long-term and phased objectives, and firmly grasps leadership and initiative. China’s Five-Year Plans are like steps on a ladder, which not only implement long-term strategies step by step but also provide important safeguards for the attainment of strategic goals. Fourth, it follows the trend of the times and remains committed to peaceful development and win-win cooperation. President Xi Jinping has put forward the Belt and Road Initiative, the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind, and the four major global initiatives, injecting strong impetus into building a better world. Fifth, it always maintains unshakable confidence, continues to strive with persistent efforts, focuses on running its own affairs well, and actively prevents and defuses risks and challenges. Sixth, it places great emphasis on strengthening itself and maintaining vigor and vitality. The Communist Party of China has the courage to carry out self-reform and persistently advances full and rigorous Party self-governance.
Today, the Chinese modernization under the leadership of the Communist Party of China has also inspired thinking among Global South countries regarding national development and governance. Various sectors in Thailand have actively shared their reflections on the series of works entitled “Xi Jinping: The Governance of China” and on China’s 15th Five-Year Plan. China stands ready to further strengthen exchanges of governance experience with Thailand, explore development paths suited to our respective national conditions, and achieve common development and prosperity.
Q2: This year also marks the 51st anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Thailand. Last year, the two countries celebrated the “50 Years of Golden Jubilee of Thai-China Friendship”. As we step onto the new journey of the next “Golden 50 Years,” what new progress has been made in bilateral relations this year?
A: We appreciate the long‑standing care and support that Daily News has given to China‑Thailand relations. China has always placed Thailand in an important position in its neighborhood diplomacy, adhering to mutual respect, equality, and win‑win cooperation. At present, China‑Thailand relations are at their best in history. In 2025, His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn paid a historic visit to China, during which President Xi Jinping and His Majesty reached important new consensus on deepening the China‑Thailand community with a shared future, charting a new blueprint for the development of bilateral relations.
Since the beginning of this year, bilateral relations have maintained a sound momentum. The two sides have enjoyed close high‑level exchanges and deep political mutual trust, and have always supported and upheld each other’s core national interests. The Thai government firmly adheres to the One‑China policy. Economic and trade cooperation has gained strong momentum, with China’s humanoid robot industrial chain and printed circuit board companies expanding their investment in Thailand, while artificial intelligence, deep‑space exploration, and aerospace are becoming new growth areas for bilateral cooperation. People‑to‑people and cultural exchanges have remained vibrant. As of early July, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Thailand has reached 2.65 million this year, while the number of Thai tourists traveling to China has repeatedly hit new highs, and mutual understanding and friendly sentiments between our peoples have continued to deepen.
China is ready to remain a trustworthy and reliable comprehensive strategic cooperative partner for Thailand, and to work with Thailand to jointly implement the important common understandings reached by our leaders, continuously enrich the substance of the China‑Thailand community with a shared future, and deliver greater benefits to our two countries and peoples.
Q3: What measures will China take to further deepen economic, trade, and investment cooperation with Thailand, particularly in the field of new energy?
A: The greatest threat facing the world today is the rise of unilateralism and protectionism. The pressing task is to halt their further development. China remains committed to expanding its opening-up proactively, fully demonstrating the sense of responsibility befitting a major country. In 2025, China’s total imports reached 18.5 trillion yuan, making it the world’s second largest import market for the 17th consecutive year. China has been Thailand’s largest trading partner and largest export market for agricultural products for 13 consecutive years. Through the joint efforts of both sides, Thai durian exports to China in 2025 reached an impressive 920,000 tons, worth 4 billion US dollars. In the first quarter of 2026, bilateral trade volume between China and Thailand exceeded 40 billion US dollars, up by more than 20 percent year-on-year. In the first four months alone, China’s imports of agricultural products from Thailand reached approximately 11 billion US dollars. In just the first quarter of this year, the total value of Chinese investment applications in Thailand exceeded 700 million US dollars. Thailand is the Guest Country for the “Big Market for All· Export to China” initiative. On July 9, the promotional event for the 9th China International Import Expo and the “Export to China” Thailand special session was successfully held, helping high-quality Thai goods and services enter Chinese households more smoothly.
Thailand is now actively advancing its green energy transition. China and Thailand have achieved fruitful results in cooperation in areas such as green transportation, photovoltaic power generation, and power batteries. China is ready to further align with Thailand at the policy, regulatory, and technical levels, promote talent development and coordinated industrial growth, enhance local integration, and inject new impetus into the future development of both countries.
In the context of the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, an interconnected global market and open, shared innovation cooperation are vital pathways to boost the dynamism of economic growth. China is willing to share the dividends of its mega-market and large-scale innovation with regional countries including Thailand, and to create more opportunities for win-win cooperation.
Q4: The foundation of Thailand-China friendship lies in the people. What are China’s expectations and plans for further deepening people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two countries?
A: We often say that “China and Thailand are as close as one family,” and our people-to-people and cultural exchanges are a vivid reflection of this special bond. Visiting Beijing and Shanghai, enjoying spicy hotpot in Chongqing and Chengdu, experiencing the “ice and snow wonderland” in Harbin, and even shopping for Labubu collectibles in China—these have all become new trends among Thai tourists. Chinese online literature, web dramas, and online games are also highly popular among Thai youth. China welcomes more Thai friends to travel to China, and supports local governments, think tanks, media, and civil society organizations of both countries in strengthening exchanges and cooperation to enhance mutual understanding between our peoples. China is ready to further expand and deepen cooperation in film and television industry, publishing, and creative design, to promote modern cultural exchanges between the two countries. The “Chinese language craze” in Thailand is gaining momentum. China is ready to continue expanding cooperation in education and scientific research with Thailand, with a focus on cultivating high-caliber talent that meets the development needs of both countries, and injecting youthful energy into the China-Thailand friendship.
Q5: The current international and regional situation is complex and volatile. How will China play its role and work with the international community to safeguard regional and world peace and stability?
A: The current international situation remains turbulent, with geopolitical conflicts flaring up one after another and the global economic recovery losing momentum. The Global Governance Initiative put forward by President Xi Jinping responds to the call of the international community. It advocates fairness over hegemony, the rule of law over disorder, cooperation over confrontation, and concrete action over empty rhetoric. Oriented toward extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, it opens up new pathways for global governance and rejects the "law of the jungle" where might makes right. In the second half of this year, China will host the inaugural Xiong'an Global Governance Forum, with the aim of building broader consensus for a more just and equitable global governance system.
China actively promotes the building of a security model for Asia, advocates peaceful dialogue and mediation, and facilitates the peaceful resolution of disputes. Thailand and Cambodia are neighbors geographically bound to each other, and both are friendly neighbors of China. Out of a sense of responsibility to support friends and uphold regional peace and stability, China has mediated and facilitated in an impartial and fair manner, without seeking anything in return and with no self-interest whatsoever. China, Thailand, and Cambodia successfully held the Shanghai Meeting and reached the Anning Consensus and the Fuxian Lake Consensus in succession. China attaches great importance to the development of its relations with Thailand and cherishes the friendly sentiments of the Thai people toward China. China conducts normal defense cooperation with both Thailand and Cambodia, which is not targeted at any third party and has no bearing on the border issues between Thailand and Cambodia.
China supports the revitalization of inclusive regionalism. In 2025, Asia contributed more than 60 percent to global economic growth. However, risk factors in Asia’s economy are also on the rise, and the stability of regional industrial and supply chains has come under strain, with rhetoric of 'decoupling' and 'supply chain disruption' persisting. Openness and inclusiveness are not only the defining characteristics of regional countries, but also the key to the economic miracle achieved in the region. This year, China will host the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, reaffirming the founding purposes of Asia-Pacific cooperation, and will deliver more outcomes in trade, connectivity, innovation, and development, so as to promote the building of an Asia-Pacific community and inject new dynamism into peace and development in the region and beyond.