[Photo by Ma Wenxiao]

The year 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Thailand, and the 32nd anniversary for Beijing and Bangkok to establish sister city relations.

Since March 2024, acting on the consensus reached between the Mayor of Beijing and the Governor of Bangkok on strengthening the exchange of experience in urban governance, aiming for solid cooperation on the green "Belt and Road" with ecological and environmental protection as the link, Beijing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau (hereafter referred to as "BEE") and the Foreign Affairs Office of the People's Government of Beijing Municipality have actively connected with the Environment Department and the International Affairs Office of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (hereafter referred to as "BMA").

By sending experts to Bangkok for consultancy and inviting Bangkok representatives to attend forum and visit Beijing Municipal Ecology and Environment Monitoring Center, the "Beijing Plan" for air quality monitoring and control, as well as the technology and efforts behind Beijing's blue skies, were demonstrated in an all-round way to the sister city's colleagues. In particular, Beijing's sensor-based PM2.5 monitoring network and the big model linking air quality monitoring, regulatory and enforcement departments, were highly appreciated by Bangkok's counterparts, who expressed the hope to carry out long-term solid cooperation under the framework of sister-city exchanges, and take reference from Beijing's successful experience in air pollution control, especially the monitoring and control of PM2.5.

On February 11, 2025, the two sides signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on air quality monitoring and management cooperation, and their teams jointly announced the work plan for 2025. The two sides agreed to strengthen technical support, capacity building and experience sharing on air pollution control and monitoring through mutual visits, trainings, and supporting relevant pilot in Bangkok with reference from Beijing. It is the hope that through the wisdom and strength of solid sister-city cooperation, a positive contribution could be made for the building of a China-Thailand community with a shared future.

Director Prapas Lueangsirinapha of the Environment Department of BMA said that he was pleased to strengthen cooperation and exchanges with Beijing on the occasion of the Golden 50 Years of China-Thailand Friendship. Beijing has made remarkable achievements and accumulated rich experience in air pollution control, which has provided useful inspiration for Bangkok. Over the past year, Bangkok has made fruitful exchanges with Beijing in air pollution control, and hopes to continue to strengthen the exchanges of personnel, technology and experience with Beijing, so that the achievements of air pollution control could better benefit the people, and jointly promote China-Thailand friendship.

(Source: Beijing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau)