Li arrived in Bangkok Thursday on an official visit to Thailand at the invitation of Thai Deputy Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh.

Li said this is his fourth visit to Thailand. He said he is glad to see that the country has overcome the difficulties caused by the Asian financial crisis and achieved economic recovery and growth. He said the Asian financial crisis proved that development can only be realized on the basis of common prosperity and mutual wins.

He said China is ready to strengthen cooperation with Thailand and other neighbors in regional affairs so as to achieve common development and prosperity.

Noting that the two countries do not have any problems or obstacles between, he said the all-round development of bilateral relations on the basis of mutual trust, mutual benefit and mutual support has set an example for relations between neighboring countries.

Li pointed out that Sino-Thai trade and economic cooperation are growing steadily at present, with the volume of two-way trade and investment on the rise. He said bilateral cooperation in the fields of education, science, culture, public health and sports also reached an unprecedented level. He expressed the wish that the two countries will continue to expand cooperation in these fields, as well as in medicine, agriculture and exchanges among young people.

Chavalit agreed with Li's proposition on the improvement of regional cooperation. He said he hopes Thailand and China will make joint efforts to speed up the negotiation on the establishment of the Free Trade Area (FTA) between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

On Sino-Thai relations, Chavalit said the friendship between Thailand and China has a sound foundation, that the two countries have cooperated in various fields, and that their leaders frequently exchanged visits. He said the Thai government is ready to expand bilateral cooperation in the fields of technology and science, biology, culture and education.

Chavalit highly praised the active and important role China played during the Asian financial crisis. He said China withstood the pressure at that time and maintained stability of the Chinese currency, displaying the poise and bearing of a large country, which deserved the world's admiration.

He said as a friend of China, Thailand is willing to see China enjoy political stability and sustained economic development. He reiterated that Thailand supports China in its cause of reunification and will stick to the "one China" policy.

(Edited from Xinhua News Agency, January 24, 2003)