China has made great progress in the past 70 years since the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and stands as a good example for many countries to follow, Thai Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said.
In a speech delivered at an event marking the 70th anniversary of the PRC held in Thailand’s southern Songkhla Province, Wissanu spoke highly of China’s development over the past 70 years and the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
He expressed his wish for a long-lasting Thailand-China friendship.
“I want to congratulate the Chinese government and Chinese people for developing from an impoverished country to now, a good example for many countries around the world in terms of political, economic and social development.
“I was born in Songkhla province,” Wissanu told Chinese media after the event.
He said he was of Chinese origin and that the grandparents of many Thais were from China.
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He said that as a descendant of Chinese, he felt happy about China’s achievements over the past seven decades.
Regarding Thailand-China relations, Wissanu stated that the two countries are related by blood, and are true “brothers and sisters”.
He said that the path China had taken was not a smooth one, yet the country recorded great accomplishments in such fields as science and technology, arts and culture, education, medicine, and social welfare.
Wissanu said that he first visited China about 40 years ago and found something new every time he travelled to the country afterwards.
“The most obvious changes were new roads, (and) newly-built buildings in cities,” he said, adding that the service sector had also boomed.
The deputy prime minister said that the Chinese way of development was worth detailed study.
He attributed China’s rapid growth to the vision of China’s leaders and the policy continuity they have maintained, saying that the Chinese government, by implementing a series of policies, had kept the vast country unified and prosperous, “which is not easy to achieve”.
Commenting on the BRI, he said Thailand could benefit from the initiative as it there exists important business, investment, and cultural exchanges between the two countries. (NAN)
