His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua and Her Majesty Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana arrived in Beijing on the afternoon of November 13th, 2025, beginning a landmark five-day state visit that underscores a half-century of diplomatic ties between the Kingdom of Thailand and the People’s Republic of China.
Their Majesties touched down at Beijing Capital International Airport at 4:03 p.m. local time aboard Thai Airways Royal Flight TG 8886, following an invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping to commemorate the 50th anniversary of bilateral relations.
The visit marks the first time that a Thai monarch has officially visited the People’s Republic of China, an event widely described by both governments as historic. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning called Thailand and China “close and friendly neighbors” and emphasized that the two countries “like one family.”
Wang Yi, China’s Foreign Minister and senior Politburo member, led the welcoming party, joined by top Chinese officials. In a warm gesture, a young boy and girl presented bouquets to Their Majesties before they proceeded past the delegation of honor, which included Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow, and senior members of the Royal Thai Embassy.
A visit rich in symbolism and strategy
China is only the second country to which His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn has made a state visit during his reign, following the state visit to Bhutan in April, signaling Thailand’s deep trust and long-term relationship with Beijing.
The itinerary blends cultural homage with forward-looking collaboration. During the trip, the Their Majesties will meet with Chinese leaders, lay a wreath at the Monument to the People’s Heroes in Tiananmen Square, and visit the Palace Museum’s special exhibition marking the 50th anniversary of Sino-Thai relations.
Their schedule also includes Buddhist temples and cutting-edge institutions such as the Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, China Academy of Space Technology, and the China Astronaut Research and Training Center. This dual emphasis on both tradition and technology reflects how the two nations are looking beyond historical goodwill toward emerging fields of shared growth.
Deepening ties across trade, tourism, and security
The royal visit comes amid robust and expanding bilateral ties. China is Thailand’s largest trading partner, with trade reaching nearly US$134 billion in 2024 and surging another 17 percent in the first half of this year. Thailand is also China’s top ASEAN exporter of agricultural goods and hosts the region’s largest production capacity layout for Chinese new energy vehicles at nearly 600,000 vehicles in annual capacity.
Additionally, people-to-people links remain equally robust. Before the pandemic, more than 10 million Chinese tourists visited Thailand annually. In 2024, a mutual visa-exemption program came into effect, reinforcing the ease of travel between the two nations.
Security cooperation is also unusually deep for the region. Thailand is the first ASEAN country to conduct joint military exercises with all branches of China’s armed forces and the first to host Chinese anti-drug liaison officers.
Indeed, the momentous state visit signals Thailand’s enduring confidence in China, with Prime Minister Anutin stating: “This must be considered a historical event… it is something worthy of remembrance.”
Teerin Julsawad