Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan met with Prime Minister of Thailand Surayud Chulanont in Beijing on Tuesday, pledging to promote the strategic and cooperative relations between the two countries.

Tang said it is in the common interests of both countries and also conducive to regional stability, prosperity and development to further deepen China-Thailand strategic cooperation, according to a press release of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

China is ready, as always, to develop the friendly ties with Thailand and continuously promote the strategic cooperation between the two countries, said Tang.

Surayud said Thailand and China are as close as brothers, adding Thailand attaches great importance to the relations with China and is ready to make continuous efforts for the development of Thailand-China strategic and cooperative relations.

Surayud arrived here Monday on a two-day official visit as guest of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. This is his first visit to China since he was appointed prime minister in October 2006.

Surayud had met with Chinese President Hu Jintao and held talks with Premier Wen on Monday. Apart from Beijing, he will also visit Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province.

Source: Xinhua