Chinese foreign minister to visit Thailand

BANGKOK, Oct 12, 2020, Bangkok Post. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit Thailand on Wednesday and Thursday to bolster cooperation between the two countries, the Foreign Ministry announced on Monday, Bangkok Post reported.

“This official visit aims at strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership between Thailand and China amidst regional and global challenges, including those posed by the Covid-19 pandemic,” the ministry announcement said.

The Chinese minister is on a Southeast Asian trip that includes Cambodia, Malaysia and Laos.

The Chinese minister ended his visit to Cambodia on Monday, with the announcement that the two countries have signed a free trade agreement.

The Chinese Commerce Ministry said on Monday it had signed the pact to promote further development of bilateral economic and trade relations.

The agreement covers a wide range of sectors including trade, tourism and agriculture, under which both countries will offer tariff cuts for each other’s products, the Chinese Commerce Ministry said in a statement on its website.

It did not say when or who signed the agreement on behalf of each country.