Thailand Vows to Open Western China Market With Sichuan

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul met with Wang Xiaohui, Communist Party Secretary of Sichuan Province, at the Chengdu Century City Convention Center on July 18, 2025. Both sides agreed to elevate cooperation in trade, investment, science, technology, innovation, tourism, and local-level partnerships to tangibly connect Thailand's economy with western China's market. Wang noted that Thailand is strategically important to Sichuan, which maintains sister-city relationships with five Thai provinces and sees growing numbers of Thai tourists annually. Bilateral trade between Thailand and Sichuan reached approximately 41 billion yuan in 2025, a 112 percent increase, reflecting rapid economic growth. Sichuan also hosts the most Thai restaurants in western China, demonstrating strong demand for Thai food and culture, which can be leveraged to boost Thai agricultural exports, food products, and service industries. Prime Minister Anutin emphasized the importance of his official visit to three major cities—Shanghai, Chengdu, and Beijing—and his meeting with President Xi Jinping to reaffirm Thailand's readiness to strengthen bilateral cooperation across all levels, from central government to provinces, cities, and the private sector. He praised China's western development strategy, particularly Sichuan's emergence as a regional economic, transportation, science, technology, and innovation hub with over 80 million people. Sichuan represents both a large market for Thai goods and a source of quality investors Thailand seeks to engage more closely. Thailand has maintained a consulate general in Chengdu for over 20 years and formally opened a Board of Investment (BOI) office there, which will serve as a key mechanism for providing information, facilitating services, and connecting Chinese investors with investment opportunities in Thailand. The Chengdu BOI office will attract investments in target industries such as electric vehicles, electronics, digital technology, advanced technology, clean energy, and future industries, creating jobs, upgrading Thai labor skills, transferring technology, and strengthening the country's production base. The Prime Minister assured Chinese businesses already investing or planning to expand in Thailand that the Thai government will support and facilitate their operations within legal frameworks and national interests. More than 150 Thai business executives and entrepreneurs participated in economic activities in Chengdu, demonstrating Thai business interest in western China's market potential and providing opportunities to find business partners, develop distribution channels, and build new business networks. Spokesperson Ratchada noted that this visit will open new markets for Thai goods and services, attract investment, and advance technology transfer.