China willing to cooperate with Thailand to address challenges: Chinese premier

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Tuesday China is willing to cooperate with Thailand to address challenges and achieve mutual benefit and win-win results.

Jointly meeting the press with Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Li said Thailand is a good friend and partner of China on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, and the two sides have strong complementary advantages and great cooperation potentials.

China is willing to work together with Thailand to deepen good-neighborly friendship, cope with challenges, and achieve mutual benefit and win-win results, Li said.

The two sides agreed to promote the alignment between China's Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and Thailand's Eastern Economic Corridor, speed up the construction of the China-Thailand railway, and deepen cooperation in such areas as economy, trade, e-commerce, smart cities, law enforcement and security.

Both sides are willing to maintain exchanges and share experiences on such issues as poverty alleviation and development.

A major achievement of the series of East Asian leaders' meetings in Bangkok this year is the basic conclusion of the negotiations of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, Li said, adding that with joint efforts of all parties, an East Asian free trade area will be built that would boast the largest population, the most diversified membership structures, and the greatest potential for development in the world.

It sends a strong signal to the world to maintain multilateralism and free trade, Li said, expressing confidence in signing the agreement next year.

Li expressed hope that all parties would accelerate the implementation of the RCEP, so as to benefit the peoples of the participating countries as soon as possible.

As for consultations on the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea, Li said the COC is an upgraded and more substantial version of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.

The consultations are making positive progress, Li said, adding that China is willing to work with relevant countries to make an important contribution to an early conclusion of the COC, and to jointly safeguard the lasting peace and tranquility of the South China Sea.