China’s foreign affairs minister pays official visit

China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi is paying an official visit to Thailand today and tomorrow to address bilateral relations.

Mr Wang will meet with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha at Government House as well as Minister of Foreign Affairs Don Pramudwinai tomorrow.

They plan to exchange perspectives on bilateral relations and regional issues of common interest.

The foreign affairs ministers previously met in Beijing on May 14 when Mr Don attended the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Prior to that, they met on Dec 23 last year when participating in the 2nd Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Siem Reap.

Following his visit to Thailand, Mr Wang will travel to Manila on Tuesday to meet with the Philippines’ Minister of Foreign Affairs Alan Peter Cayetano.

The meetings are scheduled in the lead-up to a series of key Asean events, starting on Aug 2: the 50th Asean Ministerial Meeting and Post-Ministerial Conferences, the 18th Asean Plus Three Foreign Ministers Meeting — to be attended by China — and the 24th Asean Regional Forum.

On Friday, US ambassador to Thailand Glyn Davies met with National Security Council secretary-general Thawip Netniyom in a separate event to follow up on points made at the US-Thai Strategic Dialogue held in Washington DC on July 14.

Ambassador Davies said they also discussed various cooperation projects in preparation for Gen Prayut’s meeting with US President Donald Trump, the date of which has yet to be set.

He further mentioned that he spoke with Gen Thawip about tensions in the Korean Peninsula, terrorism and cybersecurity.

Responding to a request for comments on the Rohingya human trafficking case that dealt a 27-year sentence to former army adviser Lt Gen Manas Kongpan on Wednesday, the US ambassador said the case shows Thailand’s commitment to cracking down on traffickers.