Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra left early Monday for his first official visit to China, where he is expected to meet with top leaders and firm up longstanding ties.
Thaksin is travelling with senior cabinet members, including Finance Minister Somkid Jatusripitak and Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai for the visit from August 20 to 29.
Thaksin is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Jiang Zemin as well as Premier Zhu Rongji, who visited Thailand in May.
After his arrival the Thai leader will hold talks with Jiang followed by an informal dinner. The next day an official welcoming ceremony will be held at the Great Hall of the People followed by talks with Zhu.
Thaksin will also see Li Peng, president of China's National People's Congress, on August 29 before his departure.
During his visit to Bangkok in May, Zhu gave the green light for China's central bank to begin negotiating a currency swap agreement with Thailand and gave assurances over China's planned purchases of Thai goods this year.
Zhu's delegation also discussed with Thai officials a proposed Chinese-funded 80 kilometre (50 mile) suburban light rail system that would skirt the congested Thai capital.
Meanwhile, a Thai office minister, Thamarak Issarangkun Na Ayutthaya, travelled to Beijing with Narcotics Control Board officials for anti-narcotics talks from August 27 to 28.
（Chinadaily.com.cn 08/27/2001）
