Thailand increases exports to China – World

Thailand should take advantage of its growing e-commerce industry to sell more products in the Chinese market while strengthening cooperation with Beijing on exports, says Thai Trade Minister Pichai Naripthaphan.

After recently meeting with China’s ambassador to Thailand, Pichai emphasized the long-standing friendship between the two countries, saying economic cooperation will bring long-term benefits to both sides.

He dismissed concerns about an influx of Chinese goods, saying nearly 80 percent of China’s exports to Thailand are capital and intermediate goods necessary for production and exports.

“These products are mostly exported from Thailand to other countries after further processing… This boosts our economy and increases employment,” he said.

Additionally, Chinese tourists are a major contributor to the kingdom’s economic growth, with the government targeting about 8 million arrivals this year, Pichai said.

Thai tropical fruits are also in high demand among Chinese consumers, contributing significantly to the kingdom’s annual income from the fruit trade, he said.

“I appeal for a rational approach by the Thai media and public opinion towards our trade with China. E-commerce, which has swept the world, may have an impact on small Thai businesses, (but) it may create more opportunities for Thai products to go out. “

He said that during a recent international trade fair, Thailand tapped Chinese influencers for e-commerce live streaming, generating transactions worth about 320 million baht ($10 million) in just one day.

Han Zhiqiang, China’s ambassador to Thailand, said China will continue to help Thailand expand trade through both traditional channels and online platforms. “We are also pleased to provide professional training to develop e-commerce talent in the kingdom.”

The so-called cheap Chinese goods that attract significant public attention in Thailand mainly include daily chemical products, food, etc., and account for less than 10 percent of China’s exports to Thailand, he said.

Compliance with the law

Beijing has always instructed Chinese companies to operate abroad in accordance with local regulations, he said, adding that China would continue to support efforts to strengthen supervision and address any regulatory violations.

According to the Chinese embassy in Thailand, China has been Thailand’s largest trading partner for several years, with bilateral trade reaching $126.3 billion last year and China’s trade surplus amounting to $25.1 billion.

“We do not see a trade surplus with Thailand as our goal; instead, we always welcome Thai products coming to China,” Han said.

He cautioned that focusing solely on isolated cases without considering the overall context could harm the interests of both Chinese and Thai people, calling for greater cooperation to support a fair and healthy trading environment.

Narongsak Putthapornmongkol, president of the Thai-China Chamber of Commerce, said the performance of China-Thai trade should not be overlooked.

He highlighted the Thailand-China Rayong Industrial Zone, which significantly increased Thai exports last year and supported more than 55,000 jobs.

“Instead of taking jobs away from Thais, Chinese companies have helped increase employment because for every Chinese worker hired, the company has to hire four Thais.”

He called on government sectors to improve the competitiveness of Thai enterprises in global trade and strengthen law enforcement against illegal activities, adding that his chamber would assist Chinese companies by providing information on local regulations.