Zhu was scheduled to travel to the seaside resort of Hua Hin Monday to meet Thailand's constitutional monarch Bhumibol Adjulaydej. Strengthening ties Surakiart said that China has also offered help to Thailand's vital agricultural sector, intent on strengthening economic and political bilateral relations. Zhu told Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra that China would buy at least 200,000 tons of rice and up to 600,000 tons of rubber from Thailand this year. The Beijing government also said it supports Thailand's efforts to rally Asia behind a plan to stabilize regional agricultural prices. A recent ritual burning renewed Thailand's campaign against drug smuggling Thailand is the world's largest exporter of rice and rubber, and a drop in prices of these commodities can devastate farmers.
China is Thailand's fourth-largest trading partner.
Last year, bilateral trade rose by 51 percent over the previous year. But Thai economists warn that local industries may be hurt by cheap Chinese imports. They also say that with Chinese exports competing directly against Thai products in overseas markets, foreign investors may well opt to invest in China rather than Thailand. CNN Bangkok Bureau Chief John Raedler and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Pages will open in a new browser window External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.