Thai PM Thaksin talks trade and drugs in China
( 2001-08-28 10:02 ) (9 )

Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra (L) is greeted by Chinese President Jiang Zemin at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on August 27. [Reuters]

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra met Chinese President Jiang Zemin on Monday at the start of a three-day visit expected to focus on trade and drug control, Chinese and Thai media reported.

During the talks, the two leaders agreed on issues ranging from human rights to the need to grasp new technologies, Chinese state television reported.

In particular, Jiang thanked Thailand for its support in the area of human rights.

The Chinese president also said the countries of Asia should grasp the opportunities brought about by new technologies while choosing a path suitable to their respective national conditions, said President Jiang.

Thaksin's trip, which follows a visit by Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji to Thailand in May, is taking place at the invitation of the Chinese premier.

It is Thaksin's first visit to China since he assumed office in February.

Thailand maintains close ties with China

Thaksin's visit coincided with a landmark summit on drug control between China, Thailand, Myanmar and Laos beginning on Tuesday in Beijing.

Controlling drug production and trade around the Golden Triangle, where the borders of the four countries meet, is expected to be high on the agenda during Thaksin's visit, analysts say.

The four-country meeting was originally proposed by Thaksin, who has promised to spend billions of baht fighting drug production and trafficking since he took power at the start of the year.

Thaksin arrived in Beijing with a delegation including cabinet ministers, several top Thai businessmen, and military officials, Thai media reported.

"I do not see anything that will be an obstacle to Thailand-China relations," said Thaksin. "In terms of economic cooperation and trade, Thailand and China can be mutually complementary."

Thaksin was expected to ask Beijing to lower import taxes on farm products and to hasten imports of rice, so stocks would not build up in storage, Thai media reported.