China-Thailand Think Tanks Held Online Partnership Dialogue

On July 26, 2020, China Kunming South Asia & Southeast Asia International Logistics Research Institute (SSILR) and the Community Support Foundation Thailand (CSFT) held China-Thailand Think Tank Partnership Dialogue through the Internet. During the dialogue, both sides had discussion on international economy, trade, tourism and logistics, and future cooperation trends under the new normal.

Mr.Liu Jinxin (Member of Yunnan Provincial Committee of Revolutionary Committee of Chinese Kuomintang Party , President of SSILR) expressed his gratitude to Thailand for donating facial masks during the epidemics, and stressed the importance of establishing an emergency logistics cooperation mechanism among LMC countries that jointly safeguarded the regional trade supply chain and industrial chain.

General Montri Supaporn (Ph.D. Chairman of CSFT, Former Inspector General Ministry of Defense , Thailand): The China-US relations gained global visibility, and the competition between governments would have an impact on non-governmental exchanges. During the U.S. general election, he suggested that China should keep cautious, calm and restraint so as not to make people of the two countries be influenced by political hype. As a former soldier, he participated in the U.S. war against Vietnam and he knew that the war was very cruel.

Mr. Jin Cheng (Former Chief Councilor of Foreign Affairs Office of Yunnan Provincial Government and Researcher of Indo-Pacific Regional Research Center) shared the experience of epidemic prevention and control in China, especially in Yunnan Province. He thought that air freight between China and Thailand played an important role in both sides’ response to the epidemic situation. As far as Thailand was concerned,it was needed to strengthen communication between think tanks on  the South China Sea issue and the Mekong River issue.

Prof.Emeritus Saha Bundikul (Ph.D., Former Vice Prime Minister of Thailand, Consultant of CSFT): It was very important for global peace to maintain the stability and coordination of China-U.S. relations, the friendship, stability and economy between China and the U.S., as well as the stability of the whole world. At present, China's diplomatic countermeasures were very good, and it was necessary for China to temporarily maintain the current situation. If  China made an eye for an eye response, it may be used by the U.S. and fall into a trap.

Admiral Thomrat Hathayodom (Vice Chairman of CSFT) suggested that the Chinese government should expand its overseas information service in local language, so as to make foreign countries know more about the donation and support the cooperation of the Chinese government and civil society for epidemic prevention and control of foreign countries, and reduce the misunderstanding of China by the international community.

Prof.Emeritus Viboon Tangkittpaporn (LL.M., Barrister at Law, Director of CSFT) introduced his own legal opinions on the South China Sea arbitration case. He thought that the Chinese government should further explain to the people of the world that the arbitrament made by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) was not a judgment made by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) of the United Nations. The arbitration procedure of PCA did not conform to the principles of the arbitration law. The content of arbitration was only focused on the maritime interests of three reefs proposed by the Philippines, and had nothing to do with China’s sovereignty over the “9-Dash Line”. Most people in the world have not realized this.

Mr.Zhao Guangzhou (Professor of Kunming University of Science and Technology, Director of Society for Futures Studies of Yunnan Province): China and Thailand had good control on the COVID-19. Under the background of normalization of international epidemic situation, think tanks of both sides needed to strengthen exchanges and provide advice. He looked forward to shipping between China and Thailand as soon as possible and resuming tourism and cargo trade. The epidemic situation has led to great changes in the world pattern and increased uncertainty. The United States has not done a good job in epidemic prevention and control. Before the election, various actions against China should be cautious. Counterclaim countries may take actions affecting stability.

Major General Chainarong Cherdchu (Ph.D., Secretary General of CSFT) suggested that SSILR and CSFT should serve as the link of science and technology cooperation between China and Thailand, play a coordinating role, and participate in promoting China-Thailand science and technology cooperation.

Mr. Prawat Tangtongjithr (Ph.D., Director of CSFT): Before the general election in Cambodia, Cambodian political parties used populism to win votes, which also affected Thailand. Thailand chose a more rational way to deal with it. Now China was a very important card for the U.S. election. He suggested that China should wait until the end of the year to see the results of the general election before making corresponding response.

Mr.Li Juhui (Professor, Vice president of SSILR) introduced the donations and the trade of epidemic prevention materials of the Chinese government and the civil society to the United States for epidemic prevention and control. Through this dialogue, I learned that China’s overseas information service in a language that foreign people could understand was inadequate, which led to the recognition bias of the international community.

During the dialogue, think tanks of both sides exchanged experience in fighting against the epidemic and discussed how to strengthen cooperation in medical care and emergency logistics in view of the current epidemic situation between China and Thailand. Think tanks expressed concerns that China-U.S. competition, which was also generally concerned by the international community, may lead to war. And there was a lack of awareness of the international community on the South China Sea arbitration case, which needed further exchanges. Both sides believed that keeping discussions and exchanges on hot issues in the form of video conference was helpful to understand each other’s views.