Thai Culture Secretary says exchanges bring people closer

Tourism boom

"The old saying that 'Chinese and Thai people are as close as one family' has long been deeply rooted in the hearts of the two peoples, which is evident from the fact that more than 10 million Chinese tourists visit Thailand every year," Kitsayapong noted.

He went on to say that a tourism boom and people-to-people exchanges over the years have helped boost Thailand's economy, but more importantly, brought the two peoples closer.

"Cultural exchanges could benefit the development of various other fields, such as education, communication, environment, tourism and management," said Kitsayapong.

He said he hopes the two nations could co-host more activities such as cultural, tourism and film festivals, as well as reinforce communication between the young, to further deepen friendship and understanding.

Speaking of the 70 years of development since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, Kitsayapong said China's remarkable achievements have attracted global attention and won applause from across the world.

"From the perspectives of economic development and poverty alleviation, China has made big strides and grown into a country with a higher level of modernization."