The Kingdom of Thailand on Tuesday opened a consular office in
Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi Province.
Thailand is the first country to establish a diplomatic
institution in the landlocked province.
The office will provide visa service to Chinese applicants in
Shaanxi Province and adjacent Gansu Province and Ningxia Hui
Autonomous Region. The formalities for visa issuance can be
finished within two workdays, according to official with the
office.
Thai Deputy Foreign Minister Sawanit Kongsiri said at the
opening ceremony of the office that his country set up the office
in order to promote economic, trade, tourist, educational and
cultural cooperation with northwestern region of China, in
particular with Shaanxi.
Acting Governor of Shaanxi Yuan Chunqing and Acting Mayor of
Xi'an Chen Baogen attended the opening ceremony of the Royal Thai
consular office.
Statistics show that 62 Thai enterprises are investing in
Shaanxi, with a total contractual value of US$170 million. The
imports and exports trade volume between Thailand and Shaanxi
accumulated to US$48.54 million in the first ten months of this
year, an increase by 41 percent over the same period of last
year.
The two sides now have cooperation mainly in construction,
growing and processing of agricultural products. Shaanxi's major
exported products to Thailand include TV kinescopes, TV parts,
fruits, minerals, chemicals and textiles.
(Xinhua News Agency November 29, 2006)
