Chinese Premier Li Qiang will undertake a diplomatic visit to Thailand from November 13 to 15 before travelling to Manila, the Philippines, to attend the 29th China–ASEAN Summit scheduled for November 15–16.

The announcement was made by China’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday, November 11. Li’s visit to Thailand follows an invitation from Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, while his participation in the regional summit comes at the invitation of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., whose country holds the rotating ASEAN chairmanship.

The planned engagements are significant for China’s diplomatic and economic relationships with Southeast Asia. Thailand is an important regional partner for Beijing, while ASEAN remains central to China’s efforts to strengthen trade, investment, infrastructure connectivity and political cooperation across the region.

During a regular Foreign Ministry press conference, spokesperson Guo Jiakun described China and Thailand as friendly neighbours with a longstanding relationship.

He said: “China and Thailand are friendly neighbors and a community with a shared future, with a family-like bond between the two peoples.”

Guo explained that Beijing expects Li’s visit to strengthen strategic communication and expand mutually beneficial cooperation between the countries. The discussions are also expected to support their respective modernisation programmes and contribute to regional stability and prosperity.

On the China–ASEAN Summit, Guo said the partnership had delivered substantial benefits over the past five years and that Beijing wanted to expand cooperation in several areas.

He said: “This year marks the fifth anniversary of the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership. Over the past five years, with guidance from Chinese and ASEAN leaders, cooperation has been robust and fruitful and stayed at the forefront of the region, delivering benefits to all our countries and peoples and contributing to peace, stability and prosperity in the region.”

China also wants the summit to advance the China–ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 Upgrade Protocol and strengthen cooperation in artificial intelligence, the digital economy, energy security, infrastructure connectivity and poverty reduction.

Guo added: “China looks to work with ASEAN countries at the summit to strengthen solidarity and mutual trust, build consensus on cooperation, bring into force the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 Upgrade Protocol as early as possible, and deepen cooperation in AI, digital economy, energy security, connectivity, poverty reduction, development and so on to jointly build a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful and amicable home, and provide greater stability and certainty for the peace and development in the region.”

The visit comes as China seeks to maintain strong economic and diplomatic relationships with Southeast Asian countries amid geopolitical competition, changing international trade patterns and disputes over maritime security.