Our security cooperation has evolved over the years, but it remains active and vital. Each year, we conduct an ambitious program of combined exercises. We also benefit from the fact that Thailand is one of the largest beneficiaries of our military education and training programs. We believe, therefore, that security cooperation will continue to be an important part of Thai-U.S. relations into the next century. Promoting peace and stability is of course not just a function of the military.
Diplomatic efforts are at least as important, especially in the last decade.
The second pillar is our economic relationship. This is considerably older than our security ties, dating back to 1833 when our governments signed our first Treaty of Amity and Commerce. For the first few decades, this relationship was primarily one of assistance. This symbolized an evolution in our relationship, from one of assistance to one of partnership. Over the past fifty years, trade and investment have played an increasingly vital role in our relationship.