On the afternoon of February 19, 2003, Vice President Hu Jintao met with visiting Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra at the Great Hall of the People.

Hu said that China and Thailand are good neighbors, kinsmen and brothers, which is well reflected by the frequent reciprocal visits paid by top leaders of both countries in recent years. The two countries trust each other politically and benefit and help each other economically, as a result of which they have fared well in various fields of their cooperation. The relationship between China and Thailand has become an example of friendly coexistence and mutual benefit and cooperation between countries with different social systems.

After briefing Thaksin on the 16th CPC National Congress, Hu said that the new Chinese central collective leadership will maintain the continuity and stability of China’s lines, courses, and policies. Inside, China will go on to implement the important theory of “three represents”, focus on the central task of economic construction, promote reform and opening up to the outside world and concentrate ourselves on economic progress and go all out for development. Outside, China will keep on carrying out the independent foreign policy of peace, and treat its neighbors well and as partners with a view to consolidating good-neighborliness and friendship and reinforcing regional cooperation. China stands ready to continue to advance the good-neighborly and friendly partnership of mutual trust with ASEAN countries and to jointly safeguard regional peace, stability and economic prosperity.

Thaksin congratulated Hu on his being elected General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, and said Chinese leaders always attach great importance to Sino-Thai relations and have offered Thailand precious support, as a result of which bilateral relations have kept good momentum. The Thai people harbor inborn intimacy toward Chinese people, and eagerly hope that the bilateral relationship can see greater development. He said that Thailand welcomes China’s development, which will exert major and positive influence on the region and the world at large. The Thai side is pleased to see that the China’s foreign policy will maintain stability and continuity. He expressed hope that he can work together with the new Chinese central collective leadership to promote the friendly relations between the two countries to a new level, and contribute to peace and common development of the region and the world in general.