8 | Thursday, January 17, 2019 HONG KONG EDITION | CHINA DAILY years onYEARS ON Editor’s note: Last year marked the 40th anniversary of the launch of China’s reform and opening­up policy. China Daily profiles people who experienced or witnessed the important drive. BORN: CLOSE BOND WITH CHINA Sept 14, 1945 CAREER: • 1986­88: Deputy minister of industry, Thailand (government INHERITED FROM ANCESTORS of Prem Tinsulanon) • 1988­91: Minister, Office of the Prime Minister (government Thai politician Korn Dabbaransi recalls meetings with top Chinese leaders over four decades of Chatichai Choonhavan) • 1994­95: Minister, Office of the Prime Minister (government By WEN ZONGDUO in Hong Kong of Chuan Leekpai) [email protected] t was during Thai politician Korn Dab­ baransi’s second meeting with Deng Xiaoping, in 1978, that he first learned of China’s reform agenda. I“China will open up, step by step,” Deng told a visiting Thai delegation led by deputy prime minister Chatichai Choonhavan. Dabbaransi was part of the delegation as a vice­minister. After the “cultural revolution” (1966­76) which led to instability in society and brought production to a halt, China shifted its focus from politics to economic growth. Deng stressed that China would no longer keep its doors shut, and was ready to learn from other economies. “All things were Korn being refreshed in China, Deng empha­ sized,” Dabbaransi said. “He told us to visit Dabbaransi Shenzhen and we did later that year. But Thai politician and social Shenzhen at that time was almost empty, activist with lots of paddy fields.” Back then, the city in southern China’s Guangdong province was a cluster of fish­ ing villages. However, Shenzhen was desig­ • 1996­97: Deputy prime nated one of the country’s four special minister (government of economic zones for opening­up on Aug 26, Chavalit Yongchaiyudh); 1980 — a historic change that would benefit Minister of industry a billion lives. • 1998­2000: Deputy prime Since then, investments from overseas, minister (government of Chuan including Thailand, have turned it into Chi­ Leekpai); Minister of public na’s most successful economic zone. When health Dabbaransi visited Shenzhen again in 2018 • 2002­03: Deputy prime for the 40th anniversary of the “Shenzhen minister (government of Success Story”, he said the city was “living Thaksin Shinawatra) proof right in front of your eyes”. • 2003­present: President, “Deng said Thailand and China will cer­ Korn Dabbaransi poses with giant panda Lin Bing’s twin cubs at Wolong National Nature Reserve, Sichuan province, in Thai­Chinese Friendship tainly be more than friends,” said Dabbaran­ August last year. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY Association si, adding that Deng was carrying on the • 2004­05: Minister of science vision of late premier Zhou Enlai, who died and technology (government of in 1976. Thaksin Shinawatra) Dabbaransi met both Deng and Zhou for the first time in 1975. As secretary to Thai foreign minister Chatichai Choonhavan, the group visited Zhou in hospital in January that year. We respect every “I will never forget the welcome greeting from Premier Zhou to General Chatichai, country’s culture. who had never met each other before,” he You have your said. “The premier told my foreign minister: own opinion and ‘Welcome, son of my old friend.’” Zhou was I have mine, but referring to field marshal Phin Choonhavan, who fought in World War II as Zhou did. we can share “That fateful meeting was truly extraordi­ dinner together.” nary,” Dabbaransi said. Diplomatic relations between China and Thailand were soon Korn Dabbaransi, established, beginning on July 1, 1975. president of the Thai­ Later, Zhou suggested to Chatichai that Chinese Friendship Association another “people to people” channel should be established. That idea led to the birth of the Thai­Chinese Friendship Association in Thailand in 1976. It was headed by the gen­ eral until 1998, and is currently led by Dab­ baransi. Dabbaransi recounted his meetings with top Chinese leaders during his long career. Among the high­ranking Chinese officials he met were presidents Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao, premiers Zhu Rongji and Wen Jia­ Dabbaransi delivers a speech at the first ASEAN Development Forum in Hong Kong on Dec 13, 2014. QIN QING / XINHUA bao, and President Xi Jinping, who was then vice­president. He said the Chinese leaders since Deng’s baransi added that this made China capable Thai, said he inherited the close bond with continued to make efforts to bring the peo­ time have pushed for brotherly cooperation of opening to the outside world and going China from his ancestors. ple of China and Thailand closer together, with Thailand and their collective and suc­ global, because only through common law “The first generation came from Cheng­ saying “jong tai e jia shin”, which means Chi­ cessive efforts over the years have led to Chi­ accepted by all parties could different busi­ hai, in the Chaoshan area in eastern Guang­ na and Thailand belong to one community na’s successful development. nesses come together. dong province by boat. The second of kith and kin. “The success of China has caused ripples “There are bound to be differences in any generation, born in Thailand, rose to pro­ He was a keynote speaker at the fourth in all the seven seas of the world today,” he emerging economy,” he said. “You don’t have duce deputy prime minister Phin Choonha­ Yao Traditional Chinese Medicine World said. to agree with me, but we must abide by the van, and the third generation — prime Conference in Beijing on Dec 23, on his same rules so that we can live together minister Chatichai Choonhavan.” 146th visit to China in the past 43 years. Corruption crackdown peacefully.” Dabbaransi, a nephew of Chatichai, was One memorable visit to China for Dabbar­ As someone who witnessed firsthand Chi­ Another personal observation is the deputy prime minister of Thailand three ansi was to Sichuan province, when he visit­ na’s economic evolution, Dabbaransi made importance of sharing and exchanging times. ed Lin Bing, who in 2009 became the first a few personal observations of the country ideas. giant panda born in Thailand. that other developing nations could learn “There should be no blocks between peo­ TCM in Thailand Lin Bing’s name is a combination of her from. ple to people (exchanges),” he said. Among Dabbaransi’s many achievements, mother’s family name and the name of a “Number one on my list is the strong “You have to reach out to other people and a significant one that has earned him high major river in northern Thailand, which determination of the leaders, especially they reach out to you. We respect every praise and admiration in both China and flows near the zoo where her parents have President Xi Jinping, to crack down on cor­ country’s culture. You have your own opin­ Thailand was the decision to legalize tradi­ lived since 2003. ruption,” he said. ion and I have mine, but we can share din­ tional Chinese medicine in Thailand. Dur­ Her name was chosen after a nationwide “China has adopted a top­down crack­ ner together.” ing the 25th anniversary of China­Thailand selection contest in 2009 that attracted down against corruption and moved to Just as representatives of the six Lancang­ diplomatic relations in 2000, Dabbaransi some 22 million votes — around 32.8 per­ build systematic ‘cages’ that aim to prevent Mekong countries did at the Kunming expo and China’s health minister, Zhang Wen­ cent of Thailand’s population — Xinhua and punish corruption.” in November, Dabbaransi said that “we kang, co­signed an agreement on TCM­ reported. When Lin Bing was sent to her Serving in the Thai cabinet for decades, should all be sitting together”. related projects. parents’ hometown in Sichuan to find a Dabbaransi understands the subtlety and “We share the same river,” he said. “We “He and I inaugurated TCM in Thailand mate in 2013, her fans even chartered two difficulty of fighting corruption. China’s top­ can together draft out common rules in together,” Dabbaransi said. “The first TCM planes to escort her. down approach has won admiration from agreement.” license in Thailand was signed by me. I Lin Bing gave birth to twins in 2017. In ear­ around the world and he said it was a “key While he was Thailand’s deputy prime believe in that.” ly August last year, Dabbaransi visited Lin element behind China’s success”. minister, Dabbaransi once took a boat from That policy is still widely cherished today. Bing and her two cubs at the Wolong “This kind of message, cracking down on Jinghong, in the south of China’s Yunnan “The real beneficiaries of this policy are the National Nature Reserve as an ambassador corruption, should be spoken to everyone,” province, to Chiang Mai in Thailand to people,” he said. for giant pandas. It was one of the happiest he said. acquaint himself with the people living Health tourism in Thailand has become moments of his life, Xinhua quoted him as Second, the opening­up 40 years ago was along the river. popular with people around the world, as saying. the reason why Chinese economic strength He said the China­led Belt and Road Initi­ the country has become a one­stop destina­ He is now eagerly anticipating another and stability have been sustained. “China ative in the region is about “one belt, one riv­ tion for modern medicine, traditional Chi­ visit to China. “I look forward to coming to has indeed grown,” Dabbaransi said. er”, as it is of huge importance to the nese medicine and traditional Thai Beijing in October 2019 to say happy birth­ The discipline of the people is third on his Lancang­Mekong nations and should be medicine.