Thailand’s King Vajiralongkorn Embarks on First Major China Visit

The Thai government stated that the visit “reflects enduring friendship and deep mutual understanding between Thailand and China.” The King and Queen Suthida will visit landmarks in Beijing, including Lingguang Buddhist Temple and Beijing Aerospace City. A state banquet will be hosted by President Xi and his spouse in honor of the Thai royal couple.

This is King Vajiralongkorn’s first major state visit since his coronation. In April, he had visited Bhutan. Comparatively, his father, King Bhumibol, undertook his most high-profile foreign visit in the 1960s to the US during the Cold War, when Thailand was recognized as a key partner and US military hub.

Although Thailand remains a formal US military ally, in recent years its ties with China have strengthened. Factors include US criticism on human rights, Trump-era tariffs, and declining US commitments in Asia, alongside growing trade and military cooperation with China.

China is now Thailand’s largest trade partner and is increasingly a competitor in military equipment supply with the US. Many Thai citizens have Chinese ancestry, and the Chinese government often emphasizes a “brotherly or familial” relationship.

The visit gains further significance after Thailand returned 40 Uyghur asylum seekers to China, ignoring warnings from US officials including Marco Rubio. Additionally, exhibitions by Uyghur and Tibetan artists in Bangkok were censored following Chinese diplomatic complaints.

King Vajiralongkorn’s sister, Princess Sirindhorn, who has studied Chinese arts and language for 45 years and frequently visits China, has played a key role in sustaining Thai-Chinese relations.