简体中文
A Thai diplomat based in Hong Kong urged the countries involving the South China Sea territorial disputes to look into the big picture of the all-important ASEAN-China relations in an interview with the APD.
Expressing optimism over trade-economic relations with the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong,Chakri Srichawana,the Royal Thai Consulate Generalin Hong Kong,said the ASEAN nations are eager to initiate cooperation, especiallyinthe courseof building theASEANCommunityonallthethreeimportantpillars, , namelythePoliticalandSecurityPillar，theEconomicPillar，andtheSocialand CulturalPillar.
"ASEANhassucceededinmanyrespects，butmanychallenges remainwhichdemandmorecollectiveeffortsandconcerted actions." he added.Oneof thedifficulties lies inhowtopromotethesenseof belonging as ASEANpeople,whoarelivingin this particular community. "This would be a crucial step torealize full integration," said the diplomat upon the closing of the ASEAN Summit in Brunei.
TheSouthChinaSea
Srichawana said that Thailand，asanon-claimantstate,hasalwaysmaintainedfirmpositionthatterritorialdisputesintheSouthChinaSeaarebilateralinnatureandshouldberesolvedamicablybydirectlyconcernedpartiesinaccordancewithrelevantinternational laws，includingthe1982 UnitedNationsConventionontheLawoftheSea(UNCLOS)andtheDeclaration ontheConductofPartiesintheSouthChinaSea(DOC).
"ThailandbelievesthatASEAN'sunityandcentralityis thekeytowards achievingsubstantiveprogressinresolvingtheSouthChinaSeaissue," he said.
"Weurgethepartiesconcernedtosetasidedifferencesandgiveimportanceto thebroaderpictureofASEAN-Chinarelations，whichhave forthepast20yearsserved asanchorofpeace andstabilityintheregion," he said.
TheASEAN-ChinaRelations
ASEAN-ChinaStrategicPartnershiphasservedasthe all-importantpillarof regionalpeace，stabilityandprosperity, saidSrichawana.AsthecurrentASEANCountry CoordinatorforASEAN-ChinaDialogue Relations，Thailandremains committedtoplayanactiveandconstructiveroleinadvancingASEAN-China relations.
For example,Srichawanasaid, on April 4，theSeniorOfficialsofASEANandChinaheldtheir19thConsultation inBeijing,co-chairedbyH.E. SihasakPhuangketkeow，PermanentSecretaryof theMinistryof Foreign
AffairsofThailandandH.E.ZhangYesui，Vice-Ministerof ForeignAffairs of theChinese government.Theyexchangedviewsonenhancing cooperationinconnectivity，strengtheningmaritimecooperation，the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC)，regional architecture，regional and international issues，and non-traditional security issues which include food and energy security，climate change，disaster management，counter-terrorism，and other transnational crimes. They also agreed to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership by convening of the ASEAN-China Special Foreign Ministers Meeting in Beijing this year.
"Thailand agrees with China to develop the ASEAN-China relations and cooperation in all dimensions including making the most use of ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA) with the aim to promote and facilitate the free flow of goods in the region and to eliminate non-tariff barriers." he added."As Thailand is the strategic gateway to ASEAN，we welcome enterprises from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong for more business and investment in Thailand. At the same time，Thailand looks forwards to having more business opportunities with Hong Kong through the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) that Hong Kong has enjoyed with China in the area of the Pan Pearl River Delta."
Thailand- Hong Kong Relations
Satisfied by the cordial relations, Thailand andHong Kong have regular exchange of visits from time to time. "H.E. Yingluck Shinawatra，Prime Minister of Thailand just paid an official visit to Hong Kongin February 2013 and has invited H.E. Leung Chun-ying，Chief Executive of Hong Kong SAR，to visit Thai1and to deepen our ties and expand cooperation." Srichawana said.
"During the said official visit to Hong Kong，trade ministers of both sides signed the Cooperation Arrangement between Thailand and Hong Kong on Strengthening Trade and Economic Re1ations. This will serve as a good platform for strengthening economic relationship between government agencies as well as private sectors of Thailand and Hong Kong."
At present，Hong Kong is the 9th largest trading partner of Thai1and with a tota1 trade of USD 14828.57 million，increasing 3.75 % in 2012. In addition,Hong Kong is a large source of tourists for Thailand with the amount of 472，699 in 2012 whi1e 501，759 Thai tourists visited Hong Kong during the same period.
Moreover, Srichawana encouraged Hong Kong visitors to Thailand to enjoy the friendly warmth and hospita1ity of Thai people in a "Thai Festival" organized by the Royal Thai Consulate in Hong Kong.
