Chinese envoy pushes EV ties, urges fair view of 'grey’ capital
The Chinese Embassy in Thailand has proposed a three-point strategy to increase cooperation in new energy, while urging the public not to generalise by attaching the epithet of illegal ‘grey’ capital operations to all Chinese investors.
Speaking at a seminar titled ‘China’s Economic Development Plan and New Energy Hopes for Environmental Sustainability’ on Friday, Chinese Ambassador to Thailand Zhang Jianwei highlighted the alignment of China's new 15th Five-Year Plan with global high-quality development.
Amid global supply chain disruptions, driven by prolonged geopolitical conflicts, Zhang emphasised that energy security must rely heavily on domestic structural transitions rather than external sources alone.
Highlighting China's strides in renewable energy, Zhang noted that the country has built the world's largest and fastest-growing renewable energy system, with green power now accounting for 60% of its total capacity.
He explained that this success stems from technological innovation rather than government subsidies, as misunderstood by some critics, adding that China aims to double its non-fossil fuel supply by 2035 compared to 2025 levels.
Regarding Sino-Thai new energy cooperation, the ambassador pointed out that eight major Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers have already invested over US$3 billion in Thailand.
With a combined production capacity exceeding 500,000 units per year, these investments have directly created over 10,000 jobs and support a broader local workforce, establishing a comprehensive EV ecosystem through supply chain integration and local engineering training.
To deepen ties further, Zhang proposed strengthening strategic and policy coordination in energy, expanding trade and investment across the new energy value chain and fostering synergy between industry and academia to develop highly skilled local talent.
Addressing the controversial issue of Chinese ‘grey’ capital (illegal businesses), the ambassador asserted that the vast majority of Chinese investments in Thailand operate strictly within the law and contribute to the local economy.
While calling for decisive legal action against wrongdoers, he urged against using the actions of a small group of lawbreakers to besmirch the entire Chinese community and corporate sector in Thailand.
Zhang also praised the excellent law enforcement cooperation between China and Thailand in tackling transnational crimes, including online gambling and call-centre scams.
Citing the success of recent four-nation joint operations along the Mekong River, he reiterated the embassy's readiness to work alongside all Thai sectors to present a fair reflection of bilateral relations and secure long-term cooperation.