China, Thailand to keep railway construction on track

Premier Li Keqiang meets the visiting Thai deputy prime minister Prawit Wongsuwan on Monday in Beijing. [Photo by?Du Yang?/ China News Service]

China has expressed its willingness to advance construction of the China-Thailand railway under the current cooperative framework.

Premier Li Keqiang discussed the matter with the visiting Thai deputy prime minister Prawit Wongsuwan on Monday.

"I have reached a new consensus on China-Thailand railway this year with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha. China is willing to work with Thailand to promote positive progress in the construction of the railway, which will bring more welfare and benefits to both peoples," Li said.

A memorandum on railway cooperation was signed on Friday during the fifth China-Thailand Joint Committee on Trade, Investment and Economic Cooperation meeting in Beijing, co-chaired by the visiting Thai Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak. Somkid also met with Premier Li on Monday.

Both countries are central partners and China is willing to enhance high-level exchanges, expand people-to-people exchanges and cooperation in defense to boost bilateral ties, Li said.

Prawit, also Thailand's defense minister, visited Beijing in 2014 to negotiate with China for help to upgrade its outdated rails. He said Thailand will accelerate key projects of connectivity such as the China-Thailand railway.

After years of ups and downs, a ground-breaking ceremony was held in December to mark the beginning of the railway, which is part of the Pan-Asia railway that China proposed in 2005. It is also Thailand's first standard-gauge railway that uses China's technology and equipment.

The 845-kilometer railway will allow trains to operate at top speeds of 180-250 km/h, much slower than other high-speed trains in order to keep costs down.