Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand Panpri Phitthanukon and member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China Wang Yi signed an agreement on mutual visa-free travel of citizens for up to 30 days on Sunday in Bangkok, the Thai Foreign Ministry reported in a special press release sent to local and foreign media accredited in the country.
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“The Foreign Ministers of the two countries signed today in Bangkok the “Agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand and the Government of the People’s Republic of China on mutual visa exemption for holders of ordinary and public relations passports,” the press release said.
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The signing ceremony of the agreement, which will come into force on March 1, 2024, took place at the Narathip Reception Hall at the Thai Foreign Ministry building in Bangkok, the document said.
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The agreement provides for reciprocal visa-free travel for Thai and Chinese citizens traveling with ordinary passports or (in the case of China) ordinary and PR passports for up to 30 days, but not more than three trips of 30 days, for a total of 90 days out of every 180 days, except for trips the purpose of which is permanent residence, work, study, work as a journalist and others, for which it is necessary to obtain special permissions from the authorities of the countries participating in the agreement.
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Wang Yi is in Thailand on a working visit from January 26 to 29. During the visit, the parties held the first meeting of the consultation mechanism at the level of foreign ministers between Thailand and China within the framework of the protocol signed in 2023 on deepening cooperation between the Foreign Ministries of the two countries. The ministers discussed issues related to preparations for the celebration in 2025 of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
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In parallel with the negotiations with the Thai side, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a two-day meeting in Bangkok with US National Security Assistant Jake Sullivan, who was also in Bangkok on a working visit.
