US embassy cable - 05BANGKOK5443

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANGKOK 005443 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/MLS, EAP/CM 
PACOM FOR FPA HUSO 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/22/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, CH, TH, China 
SUBJECT: CHINESE VICE PREMIER WU YI TO VISIT THAILAND IN 
SEPTEMBER 
 
REF: BANGKOK 5393 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Ralph L. Boyce.  Reason 1.4 (a and d) 
 
1.  (C)  At a dinner he hosted for the Ambassador on August 
22, Chinese Ambassador to Thailand Zhang Jiuhuan confirmed 
information contained in reftel that PRC Vice Premier Wu Yi 
is scheduled to visit Thailand in September.  Zhang explained 
that Wu would spend three or four days in either Bangkok or 
PM Thaksin's hometown of Chiang Mai during which time she 
would meet with Thaksin and other Thai officials.  Zhang 
indicated that the purpose of Wu's visit was to discuss 
bilateral economic and commercial issues and that the 
commercial/economic section of the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok 
was arranging details of the visit.  PRC Political Officer 
Zhang Ying suggested that PRC Commerce Minister Bo Xilai 
might also accompany Wu on the visit.  Ambassador Zhang said 
that Wu's visit was the first visit to Thailand by a 
Politburo member since he arrived in the Kingdom a year ago. 
 
2.  (C)  During the dinner, Political Section Director Tao 
Yihong confirmed that Thai Foreign Minister Kantathi 
Suphamongkhon would be stopping in Beijing in late August on 
his way to Pyongyang to discuss North Korean issues generally 
and the Six-Party talks with Chinese officials. 
 
3.  (C)  Embassy Bangkok stands ready to debrief Chinese 
Embassy officials about the Wu visit or other matters and 
would welcome any suggested lines of inquiry from Embassy 
Beijing.  Point of contact is PolOff Mark Lambert. 
BOYCE