Bangkok: Thailand is moving forward with 50 years of diplomatic relations between Thailand and China, establishing 50 sister cities, while Thai people are increasingly interested in "Xinjiang Uygur".
According to Thai News Agency, in 2025, the year marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Thailand and the People's Republic of China, the governments, private sectors, and citizens of Thailand and China are jointly organizing celebration activities both in Thailand and China. These activities aim to promote cultural exchanges and mutual learning, strengthen the economy, and conduct high-level visits to reinforce the close ties. The Ministry of Interior is collaborating with the People's Republic of China to establish 50 pairs of sister cities between Thai provinces and Chinese provinces and cities to commemorate this milestone. This initiative emphasizes cooperation in various dimensions to foster people-to-people connectivity and foster a better understanding and close, lasting relations between the peoples of the two countries. This aligns with the goals of Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who has been pursuing these efforts since his tenure as Deputy Prime Minis ter and Minister of Interior.
Currently, Thailand and China have approximately 40 sister cities, including Phuket and Xiamen; Nakhon Ratchasima and Sichuan Province; Phayao and Xishuangbanna Autonomous Region; Prachuap Khiri Khan and Leshan; and Chiang Mai and Chengdu.
For the sister city partnerships currently underway, they include Roi Et Province and Gansu Province, Songkhla Province and Fuzhou City, Ubon Ratchathani Province and Jiangxi Province, and Phitsanulok Province and Yunnan Province. In addition to fostering good relations, these sister city relations also promote national connectivity and attract foreign trade, investment, and tourism.
Xinjiang Uygur is another province with plans to further enhance ties in the future. It is China's largest autonomous region, encompassing 1.6 million square kilometers and home to approximately 25.8 million people, the majority of whom are Uygur Chinese (44.96%). These people are Muslims and possess a unique language and cultural identity. The Chinese government has actively promoted Uyghur cultural identity, including the language in public spaces and religious sites, to foster peaceful coexistence as China's national development progresses under the leadership of President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China.
Data from the culture and tourism bureau in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region showed that the number of trips to Xinjiang reached a record high of 300 million in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 14 percent, and tourism revenue reached about 355 billion yuan (about 1.66 trillion baht), a 21 percent increase.
While various Thai agencies are continuously interested in visiting for study tours, especially last June, Mr. Wan Muhammad Noor Matha, Speaker of the National Assembly, led a group of members of the House of Representatives to visit the National People's Congress of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.