Bangkok: Wang Yi's visit to Thailand reflects China's grand strategy of expanding into ASEAN to control the balance of power, with Thailand positioned as a key power at the crossroads.
According to Thai News Agency, Associate Professor Dr. Dulyapak Precharatch, President of the Association for Regional Studies and a lecturer in Southeast Asian Studies at Thammasat University, analyzed on the program "Share the News" on MCOT News FM 100.5 that the visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Thailand, and the personal reception by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, including a tour and a meal of Thai food, constituted a "special level" welcome. This reflects a closer relationship and shows a level of respect beyond standard diplomatic protocol, highlighting the close relationship between Thailand and China.
Strategically, China chose to visit Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar simultaneously because it views these three countries as part of a unified network, both in terms of investment under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and cross-border economic corridors. In particular, in the event of tensions between Thailand and Cambodia, China attempts to act as a "peace broker," mediating to defuse conflict and protect its own economic interests.
Given Myanmar's strategic importance as an "exit to the Bay of Bengal" and a vital source of rare earth resources, this visit aims to strengthen ties with the new leaders while reaffirming the security of China's energy and logistics routes.
The bigger picture reflects the competition for superpowers, with China attempting to "reclaim the balance of power" in Southeast Asia, which it sees as its sphere of influence, after observing the increasing role of the United States in terms of resources, military, and political cooperation in the region. While the US focused on the Middle East, China seized this opportunity to expand its influence immediately.
Associate Professor Dr. Dulyapak stated that Thailand is positioned as a crucial "connector" in the region and should enhance its role through a 3C strategy: Crossroad (a point of intersection of major powers), Connector (a link between economics and peace), and Conductor (a leader in cooperation forums) in order to increase its bargaining power on the global stage.
At the same time, the land bridge project is seen as a "golden opportunity" to help mitigate the risks of the Malacca Strait Dilemma, but caution is needed regarding pressure from competing superpowers, border issues, and environmental impacts.
Ultimately, while China has played a role in easing tensions between Thailand and Cambodia, Thailand cannot rely solely on China. It needs to maintain a balance with other major powers and accelerate the upgrading of strategic relationships to avoid being at a disadvantage in the increasingly intense geopolitical game.