China Showcases Stability as Thailand’s King Visits Amid U.S. Trade Rift

Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) review an honor guard during a welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on November 14, 2025. (Photo by TINGSHU WANG / POOL / AFP)

Thailand’s travel-averse King Maha Vajiralongkorn made his first official visit to China since ascending to the throne nine years ago. On Friday, the king, accompanied by his wife Queen Suthida, met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who sought to portray his government as a more stable, predictable partner than the United States.

In fact, during the King’s visit, a separate drama with the U.S. was unfolding back at home when Washington abruptly called off trade talks with Bangkok over concerns that Thailand was not implementing the peace agreement that settled the border dispute with Cambodia.

  • Get a daily email packed with the latest news and analysis from Africa, Asia, and across the Global South.
  • Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China’s relations across the Global South.
  • Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in the Global South.

China, Africa and the Global South... find out what’s happening.

Subscribe today for unlimited access.

OR

Already a subscriber? Log in Click Here to Learn More
by Eric Olander

Most Read

1
Developing Countries’ Debt Servicing Costs to China Are Significant, but Nowhere Near as Much as Other Creditors
2
Uncertainty Roils Minerals Markets
3 Chinese Military Fans Discuss Why Indonesia Bought Rafale Instead of J-10C
4 From J-10C to Kaan? Indonesia’s Fighter Jet Deal With Turkey Shocks Chinese Military Fans
5
Indonesia Goes Nuclear, Taps China and Russia for Modular Reactors
6
Chinese Cargo Planes Secretly Ferrying Supplies to Iran, Claim Online Sleuths

You Might Like

With the U.S. Likely to Focus Less Attention on China in Africa, Kenya’s Free Trade Deal Now in Question

Outgoing U.S. ambassador to Kenya Kyle McCarter stopped by the State House on Wednesday to meet with President Uhuru Kenyatta (photo). McCarter, a Trump political appointee, will soon be ...

China and U.S. Wrap First Day of Trade Talks

By Nioucha Zakavati with Beiyi Seow in Washington Chinese and U.S. officials wrapped the first day in a fresh round of talks in Stockholm on Monday, with the world’s top two economies looking ...

U.S. Bars Thai Officials Over Uyghur Deportations

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday announced visa bans on officials from ally Thailand after the kingdom deported dozens of Uyghurs back to China. “In light of China’s longstanding acts of ...

Chinese Propaganda Promotes Beijing’s “Pragmatism” Over Washington’s “Idealism”

Global Times is one of China’s more nationalistic media outlets that often tests new propaganda and media messaging. This article was written Global Times writer Wang Cong in Kasane, Botswana. “The US continues ...

What is The China-Global South Project?

Independent

The China-Global South Project is passionately independent, non-partisan and does not advocate for any country, company or culture.

News

A carefully curated selection of the day’s most important China-Global South stories. Updated 24 hours a day by human editors. No bots, no algorithms.

Analysis

Diverse, often unconventional insights from scholars, analysts, journalists and a variety of stakeholders in the China-Global South discourse.

Networking

A unique professional network of China-Africa scholars, analysts, journalists and other practioners from around the world.

More about CGSP