Fruits from Thailand are shipped to southwest China's Yunnan Province by the China-Laos Railway on April 1, 2022. (Photo by Gao Jiabing/Xinhua)

While China's economic recovery is well underway, Thailand attaches intense importance to cooperation with China in e-commerce and investment, and seeks to expand the upgrade of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area.

China's economic recovery is expected to have a positive impact on the development of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the upgrade of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (FTA) could bring further benefits to the region, a senior Thai official said.

Auramon Supthaweethum, Director-General of the Department of Trade Negotiations under Thailand's Ministry of Commerce, said China is a significant trading partner for both Thailand and the ASEAN.

Thailand is placing great importance on the negotiations for the upgrade of the China-ASEAN FTA, which is expected to bring benefits to Thailand and ASEAN countries, said Auramon.

China has been Thailand's most important trading partner for over a decade and is ASEAN's most significant trading partner as well, said the official.

China's Belt and Road Initiative has created an ASEAN network of infrastructure projects, including the China-Laos-Thailand railway to access low-cost raw materials and expand business opportunities for Thai businesses in service and tourism sectors, Auramon said.

Thailand prioritizes cooperation with China in e-commerce, she said, adding that Thailand also intends to expand its investment cooperation with China, with a focus on the Eastern Economic Corridor.

The first round of consultations on Version 3.0 China-ASEAN FTA negotiations started on Feb. 7.

In November 2022, China and the ASEAN jointly announced the official launch of the negotiations. The two sides agreed that the negotiations will cover fields including trade in goods, investment, digital and green economy, so as to build a more inclusive, modern, comprehensive and mutually beneficial China-ASEAN FTA.