Thailand's ambassador to China Piriya Khempon accepts an interview with Xinhuanet in Beijing, capital of China, February 27. (Xinhuanet/ Xu Xin)
BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhuanet) -- The achievement over the past 70 years in China is a great transformation, said Piriya Khempon, Thailand's ambassador to China, in a recent interview with Xinhuanet.
"China has improved itself along the way, transformed itself from an underdeveloped economy into, right now, a technology-driven economy," he said.
The ambassador said that China’s great transformation in many ways has benefited the world.
"Thailand benefited from the progress, advancement of China. We have initiated our own Thailand 4.0 policy to improve our technology, infrastructure in the country, so that we can upgrade our country like China did," he said.
He noted that China is a good example of how a country can use technology to improve itself and overcome the middle income trap.
"Chinese investors can come to Thailand and help improve the conditions, the technology situation in Thailand," he added.
The ambassador specially stressed the role of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which he believes has brought many changes and opportunities for Thailand and the region.
He said the BRI is a master plan not only about infrastructure, but also about connectivity -- digital connectivity, connectivity through people-to-people exchanges and connectivity through financial cooperation -- for one purpose, for strength, for a good economy, for prosperity.
A very solid example under the BRI is the high-speed railway which is under construction. It will link Thailand with Laos and Kunming in China's southwestern Yunnan Province to facilitate the flow of people and goods.
The ambassador is also very much impressed by China's poverty alleviation achievement.
He said that China has become a world example in successfully bringing people out of poverty by making joint efforts.
The ambassador recalled his visit to China's Guizhou Province, where he saw the government, the private sector and local people work together to improve the living conditions.
"We try to eradicate the poverty situation in our country. So, we look at China and we study from China, which is providing best practices to the world," he noted.
