The Prime Minister has arrived in Shanghai, officially starting his visit to China by participating in the World Artificial Intelligence Conference and meeting with President Xi Jinping to advance cooperation in technology, economy, and investment sectors.
On 17 July 2026, a reporter reported that at 22:20 local time in Shanghai (one hour ahead of Thailand), Ms. Ratchada Thanadirek, spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, announced that Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul and his delegation arrived at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, People's Republic of China, for an official visit. They were welcomed by Mr. Shen Jie, Deputy Mayor of Shanghai, and Mr. Xu Kai, Deputy Director of Shanghai Foreign Affairs Office.
During this official visit to China, the Prime Minister’s schedule covers three main cities: Shanghai, Chengdu, and Beijing, aiming to strengthen trade, investment, innovation, and advanced technology cooperation between Thailand and China.
The spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office outlined the Prime Minister’s key activities as follows:
1. On Friday, 17 July 2026, in the morning, the Prime Minister will attend the opening ceremony and deliver a statement at the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), a major international forum on technology and innovation. Following this, he will hold bilateral talks with the President of Kazakhstan, then visit and discuss with executives of AgiBot, a Chinese technology and robotics company.
In the afternoon, the Prime Minister will pay a courtesy call on President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China. In the evening, the Shanghai Mayor will also pay a courtesy call to exchange views and promote mutual cooperation.
2. On Saturday, 18 July 2026, the Prime Minister will attend the “Prime Minister-Thai Private Sector Luncheon” in Chengdu to listen and exchange perspectives with Thai private sector investors in China. In the afternoon, he will chair the opening ceremony of the “Thailand-China (Sichuan) Investment and Economic Forum 2026” and inaugurate the investment section of the Consulate General in Chengdu. He will also meet with six Chinese private companies to explore investment opportunities in Thailand before holding talks with the Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party in Sichuan Province in the evening.
3. On Sunday, 19 July 2026, the Prime Minister will travel to Beijing to meet with senior executives of Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. to exchange views on digital technology and innovation.
4. On Monday, 20 July 2026, the Prime Minister will meet with the Chairman of the National People's Congress of China, then participate in the official welcome ceremony and hold full bilateral talks with Premier Li Qiang of the People's Republic of China. He will also witness the signing of agreements between agencies of both countries.
On this occasion, the Chinese Prime Minister will host a luncheon in honor of the Thai Prime Minister. In the afternoon, the Prime Minister will visit Alibaba Group headquarters and CP Center offices to study leading business operations and promote economic cooperation opportunities between Thailand and China.
"China places great importance on China-Thailand relations, especially the Prime Minister’s first official visit to China. He will pay courtesy calls and hold talks with three key Chinese leaders: the President of the People’s Republic of China, the Chairman of the National People's Congress, and the Chinese Premier. It is believed that these discussions will result in mutual support measures, including meetings with leading Chinese private sector companies in technology, robotics, and e-commerce, which will open new opportunities for Thailand. This includes inviting investment in advanced industries and learning from China’s high-tech and artificial intelligence development concepts and recommendations," the spokesperson said.
