China and Thailand
Industry, tourism and railways connect China and Thailand. The relationship includes cooperation against cross-border crime and sensitive issues of personal protection.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-07 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-07Fifty years of diplomacy and social contacts
Diplomatic relations were established on 1 July 1975; the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership followed in 2012.
Railways, electric vehicles and industrial suppliers
Cooperation combines the Thailand–Laos–China railway connection with industrial projects in batteries, electric vehicles, semiconductors and electronics.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 153,465.26 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN |
| Goods: China to Thailand | 103,652.23 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN |
| Goods: Thailand to China | 49,813.03 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: China to Thailand | 2.74 % | 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN |
| Export share: Thailand to China | ||
| Investment stock: China in Thailand | ||
| Investment stock: Thailand in China |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN · Goods; full year; CHN reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: China to Thailand
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN · Goods; full year; CHN reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: Thailand to China
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN · Goods; full year; CHN reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Export share: China to Thailand
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / CHN · Goods share: CHN exports to the partner / the same reporter's exports to the world, same year.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
| Indicator | China | Thailand |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 19.5 trillion USD2025 · WB | 577.01 billion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 13,861.97 USD2025 · WB | 8,056.56 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 4.96 %2025 · WB | 2.44 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | 1.4 %2026-09-24 · PBoC | |
| Inflation · annual average | 0.06 %Annual average · 2025 · WB | -0.13 %Annual average · 2025 · WB |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 0.8 %Year-on-year · Aug. 2026 · NBS China | |
| Unemployment | 4.62 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 0.78 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -7.9 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -1.9 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 99.2 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 64.7 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | 3.77 %2025 · WB | 2.76 %2025 · WB |
| Population | 1,406,585,0002025 · WB | 71,619,8632025 · WB |
| Area | 9,562,910 km²2023 · BM / FAO | 513,115 km²2023 · WB |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDChina: 2025 · World BankThailand: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personChina: 2025 · World BankThailand: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)China: 2025 · World BankThailand: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)China: 2026-09-24 · PBoC: 7-day reverse repo · People’s Bank of China · Published: 2026-09-24 · Rate of the official operation consulted, not the mortgage LPR or the PSL lending rate. Subsequent operations with zero volume are not converted into a 0% interest rate.
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)China: 2025 · Average annual CPI change (%) · World BankThailand: 2025 · Annual average change in the CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedChina: 2026-08 · Headline CPI change relative to the same month of the previous year (%) · National Bureau of Statistics of China · Published: 2026-09-09 · National headline year-on-year CPI, not monthly inflation or an annual average.
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionChina: 2025 · World Bank · ILO est.Thailand: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)China: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Thailand: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)China: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Thailand: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPChina: 2025 · World BankThailand: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Population
- PeopleChina: 2025 · World BankThailand: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceChina: 2023 · Total area including inland waters; territorial coverage of the source · World Bank · FAOThailand: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
China to Thailand
Thailand to China
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 8,273.8 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 8,245.2 M USD2025 · Source |
| Rubber and articles thereof | 6,133.9 M USD2025 · Source |
| Edible fruit and nuts | 6,035.7 M USD2025 · Source |
How trade has changed
Billions of current USD · full calendar years
View chart figures
| Period | Total | China to Thailand | Thailand to China |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 129,949.2 | 68,229.2 | 61,720 |
| 2022 | 134,997.3 | 78,479.6 | 56,517.6 |
| 2023 | 126,278.7 | 75,732.7 | 50,546 |
| 2024 | 133,977.6 | 86,026.9 | 47,950.7 |
| 2025 | 153,465.3 | 103,652.2 | 49,813 |
Connections between people
Tourism, cultural ties and language teaching connect the two societies. Traveller safety and the protection of detainees are distinct issues, not simply indicators of trade volume. [1] [3]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from China living in Thailand | ||
| Residents from Thailand living in China | ||
| Study and training: China in Thailand | ||
| Study and training: Thailand in China | ||
| Academic stays: China in Thailand | ||
| Academic stays: Thailand in China | ||
| Travel: China to Thailand | ||
| Travel: Thailand to China |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
Fifty years of diplomacy and social contacts
Diplomatic relations were established on 1 July 1975; the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership followed in 2012. Contacts include culture, language teaching, local exchanges and tourism. The 2025 fiftieth anniversary prompted visits and official events, including the Thai prime minister's visit to China in February. The breadth of these ties means the relationship directly affects hotels, students, factories and transport. Changes of government in Bangkok do not automatically turn these institutional and social ties into a new relationship starting from scratch. [1] [2]
Railways, electric vehicles and industrial suppliers
Cooperation combines the Thailand–Laos–China railway connection with industrial projects in batteries, electric vehicles, semiconductors and electronics. The February 2025 statement called for accelerating the first phase of the high-speed railway and defining the second. The aim is to improve access between the region and China's interior, alongside customs and sanitary controls. Announced phases must not be confused with sections already operating. For Thai businesses, access to the Chinese market and the arrival of suppliers and investors create opportunities, while standards, industrial competition and local content remain practical matters for negotiation. [1]
Cross-border fraud and protection of detainees
Police cooperation addresses, among other issues, online scam networks operating in the region and affecting citizens of both countries. It also raises questions of individual protection. United Nations experts sent communications concerning Uyghurs detained in Thailand and their transfer to China on 27 February 2025, highlighting risks of torture and other harm. That communication contains allegations and requests for information; it must be read as such, not as a judicial ruling. The issue is distinct from cooperation against fraud and shows why bilateral security also includes safeguards for detainees. [1] [3]
The scale of the two economies
China's reference nominal GDP is 19,498 billion USD in 2025, compared with 577 in 2025 for Thailand. The reference populations are 1,406.59 million (2025) and 71.62 million (2025), respectively. In the same year, China's nominal GDP was 33.79 times Thailand's. These figures contextualise market size; they do not by themselves describe well-being, individual wealth or political influence. IMF estimates or population extrapolations retain their labels in the table. No ratio is calculated when periods do not match. [6] [7] [8] [9]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Reviewed: 2026-10-07
The July 2026 visit and its priorities
During Anutin Charnvirakul's visit from 16 to 20 July 2026, meetings were held with Chinese leaders. The Thai Government reported fifteen agreements and memoranda on future industries, security, education and sustainable development. Priorities included trade, investment and technology cooperation alongside political contacts. The reciprocal visa-exemption regime facilitates tourism and visits; traveller safety remains part of the agenda. This round of agreements represents new working commitments, whose degree of implementation must be distinguished from goods already recorded and travellers actually counted. [2] [4] [1]
Observed economic exchange
In 2025, recorded goods trade between China and Thailand totalled 153,465.3 million USD. Shipments from China to Thailand were 103,652.2 million USD; those in the reverse direction were 49,813 million USD. China's shipments to the partner represented 2.74% of its goods exports to the world, using the same year and reporter. A single customs reporting source is used for both directions. This annual flow does not include all services activity or affiliates' local sales and is not added to accumulated investment capital. [5]
Milestones and consequences
- 1975-07-01
Diplomatic relations
Beginning of the modern official relationship. [1]
- 2012
Strategic partnership
The cooperation framework is expanded. [1]
- 2025-02
Fiftieth-anniversary visit
Railways, industry and police cooperation are reviewed. [1]
- 2025-02-27
Transfer of Uyghur detainees
The action is the subject of a communication by UN experts. [3]
- 2026-07-20
New agreements
The visit concludes with cooperation agreements and memoranda. [4]
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Each figure retains its period, unit, definition and source. Announcements, contracts and results are not interchangeable. Empty cells do not mean zero. Customs data for 2025 are not presented as activity observed during later crises.
- Fiftieth-anniversary bilateral statement
Thailand MFA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- July 2026 bilateral statement
Thailand MFA · Institutional source · Document: 2026-07-20 · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- UN experts' communication on deportations
OHCHR / special procedures · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Fifteen cooperation agreements
Government of Thailand · Institutional source · Document: 2026-07-21 · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Annual TOTAL X/M; 2025; reporter 156; partners 0,554,702,458,764,404
UN Comtrade / CHN · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-09-17
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-06
- SP.POP.TOTL; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 84; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / CHN · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 85; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / CHN · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 08; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / CHN · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 40; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / CHN · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade / CHN
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 84; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / CHN
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 85; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / CHN
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 40; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / CHN
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 08; 2025; reporter 156; partners 554,702,458,764,404; X/M; annual goods.