BANGKOK (Xinhua) — Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said Monday that his ministry will work to promote the export of Thai agricultural products at the 11th Pan-Beibu Gulf Economic Cooperation Forum to be held in China.
The minister will attend the economic forum via a teleconference. The event is scheduled to be held in Nanning, capital of southwest China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on Oct. 15.
“We will be enhancing a maritime connection concept known as the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor that will be beneficial to the exports of Thai farm products including fruits to China,” the minister told a press conference.
The minister said Thailand will make efforts to enhance the cooperation among ports around the Beibu Gulf.
He also said his ministry will work to raise the awareness about the benefits from the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA), which renders mutual duty exemption on 90 percent of products.
“China remains the most important trading partner of Thailand with the bilateral trade value of 79.5 billion U.S. dollars last year,” the minister added.
The Pan-Beibu Gulf economic zone covers Guangxi autonomous region, Guangdong and Hainan provinces in South China, as well as ASEAN members including Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, Brunei and Thailand.