Internal working platform of Yunnan Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries

From October 13th to 14th, the "50th Anniversary of China-Thailand Diplomatic Relations Friendship Journey" vehicle group, consisting of 15 new energy vehicles from BYD, stopped in Jinghong City, Xishuangbanna State, for a brief rest before continuing northward on the 14th morning towards the final destination of Beijing.

Group photo as a memento (Zhang Nan photo)

The friendship team departed from Bangkok, Thailand at 10 a.m. on October 10th, passed through Phitsanulok Province, Thailand and the China-Laos border port of Meng Hua-Meng Dang, and arrived in Jinghong City, Xishuangbanna State, China at 6 p.m. on the 13th. Upon arrival, the diplomatic personnel dressed in traditional Dai ethnic costumes welcomed the guests with "water-splashing blessing" and served the first tea of the "three cups of tea" - raw Pu'er tea to greet the guests. Subsequently, everyone watched the characteristic song and dance show "Peacock" together in the warm atmosphere of the second tea - ripe Pu'er tea, and immersed themselves in the unique ethnic customs and humanistic temperature of Xishuangbanna.

Friends of the team taste old Pu'er tea (Zhang Nan photo)

Zeng Mingmin, president of the Yiwu Tea Association in Mengla County, said: "Our association has specially prepared 'three cups of tea' for them, the first is raw tea, the second is ripe tea, and the third is old tea, which means that the first time is raw, the second time is ripe, and the third time is the friendship between China and Thailand, like Pu'er tea, becomes more and more fragrant with age. Xishuangbanna, as the origin of Pu'er tea, tea as a bridge connecting China and Thailand's friendship, hopes that Thai friends will like Xishuangbanna and China's Pu'er tea."

Zheng Jinhong, vice president of the Thai-China友好 Association, said: "This experience has made a deep impression on me. The food is delicious, everyone is very enthusiastic, and it makes me feel like I have returned to Thailand. It also allows me to have a deeper understanding of the meaning of 'Thailand and China are one family'. We are already one family, and this feeling is deeply rooted in my heart."

On the morning of October 14th, the protocol personnel presented the last of the "Three Teas" to the Friendship Automobile Team - Pu'er old tea.Then the representatives of both sides jointly pasted the 50th Anniversary of the Establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Thailand on the vehicle of the friendship team and presented souvenirs.After the sound of the salute, the friendship team officially set off for the next stop, Kunming. The subsequent friendship team will continue to travel along the predetermined route, passing through Guiyang, Zhangjiajie, Xi'an, Pingyao, and finally arriving in Beijing. This event, organized by the Thai-China Friendship Association, started from Bangkok, Thailand, and ended in Beijing, China, covering a distance of more than 5,000 kilometers and the entire journey is planned to take 16 days.

Representatives from China and Thailand paste a 50th anniversary logo of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries (Zhang Nan photo)

Zheng Jinhong, vice president of the Thai-China Friendship Association, said: "I hope that through the Thai-China diplomatic relations 50th anniversary friendly car event, we can further enhance the feelings between the two peoples. Let everyone feel the warm hospitality as if they were family. The only phrase that can truly interpret our inner feelings is 'China and Thailand are one family'."

Xishuangbanna, as an important gateway for China's opening-up to South Asia and Southeast Asia, is geographically close to Thailand, shares the same people and culture, and is a good partner and neighbor that drinks the same river.

Friendship team waves the flag to prepare for departure (Zhang Nan photo)

Over the past 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Thailand, the two sides have enjoyed close exchanges and fruitful outcomes in the fields of economy and trade, culture and tourism, and people-to-people exchanges. The concept of "China and Thailand are one family" has been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. The visit of the friendship train this time is not only a profound memorial to the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Thailand, but also carries the friendly feelings of the Thai people towards the Chinese people, injecting new vitality and building new bridges for people-to-people exchanges between the two places.