Sports proving to be a tie that binds nations

China and Thailand will work on a series of sports and tourism events, as part of celebrations of the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations. Cooperation agreements on key events were signed at the 2025 Running and Sports Tourism Exchange Signing Ceremony in Beijing on May 14.

They include the Chongli 168 Ultra-Trail in Hebei province and Chiang Mai by UTMB (a global trail running series and community), as well as the Chiang Mai 24: From Dusk Till Dawn run, and the Xiamen 6 Day Race in Fujian province.

The agreements cover in-depth cooperation in areas such as knowledge sharing, quota exchanges, resource sharing, internationalization efforts, rule refinement, and mutual visits.

"This is more than a provincial-level collaboration. It is a visionary effort to use sports and tourism as tools to strengthen people-to-people exchanges, which lie at the heart of international friendship. Such connections build the cultural and emotional bridges necessary for long-lasting cooperation between our two nations," said Duansib Padmasundara Cullen, minister-counselor of Thailand to China, at the ceremony that was cohosted by the Chiang Mai Provincial Administrative Organization, the Sports Authority of Thailand, and the Beijing office of Tourism Authority of Thailand.

The event was a showcase of the deep friendship and bilateral ties between China and Thailand, and was designed to enhance the race experience for Chinese runners and to help Chinese brands expand into Southeast Asian markets.

Cullen emphasizes that this cooperation marks a crucial step, demonstrating the power of sports and tourism as instruments for creating mutual benefits based on the strong and enduring relationship between the two countries.

It also aligns with the Thai government's goal of promoting sports tourism and elevating Thailand as a prominent sports and wellness tourism hub in Asia, by synergizing the potential of Chiang Mai in terms of its nature and culture with the world-class expertise of the Chinese private sector in organizing sporting events, she says.

Nittaya Kerdjuntuk, director of the Office of the Professional Sports Committee, Sports Authority of Thailand, says that last year's Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc series event held in Chiang Mai welcomed over 7,000 participants from around the world.

"I was especially pleased to see that more than 2,600 of them came from China," she says.

"This shows the immense enthusiasm of Chinese athletes, and the strong connection between our two nations."

Kerdjuntuk says that Thailand is committed to a five-year development plan aimed at transforming Chiang Mai into a premier destination for both runners and tourists.

"We're working in collaboration with the government and local businesses to make this vision a reality," she says.

Highlighting the strong friendship between Thailand and China, Kerdjuntuk says she's looking forward to more joint initiatives in the future.

"Our two countries have long enjoyed deep and friendly ties. In the years ahead, we plan to host joint expos and industry events to promote economic and cultural cooperation.