On March 24th, Mr. Rapeepong Morakul, Director of the Solid Waste Management Division of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, and a delegation including representatives from Thailand’s Wastebuy Delivery Company visited Kunming University of Science and Technology (KUST). The two sides engaged in in-depth discussions on comprehensive industry-academia-research cooperation, focusing on areas such as solid waste resource utilization technology development, innovation in circular economy models, and joint talent cultivation. President Wang Hua of KUST, along with Vice Presidents Yi Jianhong and Pan Xuejun, attended the meeting.
At the meeting, Vice President Pan Xuejun extended a warm welcome to the visiting delegation on behalf of KUST. He introduced the history and distinctive characteristics of KUST, as well as its recent achievements in scientific and technological innovation, industry-academia-research collaboration, and international education. He noted that KUST, as the Chinese lead university of the China-Thailand University Alliance, has jointly established four overseas educational institutions with Thai universities, forming flagship collaborative projects in areas such as robotics and artificial intelligence, and renewable energy. He emphasized that KUST remains committed to deepening exchanges and cooperation with countries around the world with an open and inclusive approach. He expressed hope that this visit would serve as an opportunity to build closer partnerships with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and Wastebuy Delivery Company of Thailand, further strengthening collaboration and contributing to new progress in the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Rapeepong Morakul expressed his gratitude for the warm reception from KUST and highly praised the university’s research strength in the field of environmental protection. He stated that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration places great importance on the development of a solid waste management system and looks forward to promoting the implementation of technologies such as intelligent waste sorting and resource utilization in Bangkok through mechanisms such as industry-academia-research collaboration, technology transfer, and joint talent cultivation.
Dr. Itthikon Srichanban, Chief Executive Director of Thailand’s Wastebuy Delivery Company, introduced the company’s innovative practices in the field of intelligent waste recycling. He expressed a strong interest in jointly developing demonstration projects with KUST to explore new models for circular economy development.
In his concluding remarks, President Wang Hua noted that from March 19 to 20, 2025, President Xi Jinping conducted an inspection tour in Lijiang and Kunming, delivering important speeches that provided clear direction and strategic guidance for promoting high-level opening-up in Yunnan. Wang Hua emphasized that China and Thailand share a long-standing traditional friendship. As close neighbors connected by mountains and rivers, kin-like relatives with deep-rooted ties, and partners sharing a common destiny, the two countries have created the widely recognized bond of “China and Thailand are one family” through years of close cooperation and exchanges. He stated that this visit is not only a positive response to the strategic consensus of the leaders of both countries but also a practical step toward strengthening exchanges and cooperation in science and technology, education, industry, and culture. He expressed hope that both sides would leverage cooperative projects to pursue mutual progress in science and education, actively explore new models for international industry-academia-research collaboration, and jointly build a new ecosystem integrating industry with education and science with education to serve the economic and social development of both countries.
Wang Hua proposed the joint establishment of the KUST–Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research International Technology Transfer Center, which would serve as a two-way platform for the transformation of scientific and technological achievements in areas such as environmental protection and new energy. He also suggested implementing five key projects, including smart multi-level parking systems and solid waste treatment, to support the smart city development of Bangkok. Additionally, he advocated for the innovation of a mutual recognition mechanism for engineering qualifications between China and Thailand, aiming to cultivate internationally minded, interdisciplinary talents that will inject momentum and vitality into deepening bilateral relations and advancing the development goals of both nations.
During the meeting, both sides engaged in in-depth discussions on areas such as solid waste treatment, wastewater treatment, new energy, and smart city development, reaching a consensus on future cooperation.
During the visit, the delegation also conducted on-site visits to several key research facilities at Kunming University of Science and Technology, including the National Engineering Research Center for Vacuum Metallurgy, the National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Lithium-Ion Battery and Material Preparation Technology, the Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence, and the National Engineering Research Center for Solid Waste Resource Utilization.
Officials from the Yunnan Provincial Department of Human Resources and Social Security and relevant departments of the Kunming Municipal Government attended the meeting, along with representatives from the University’s Division of Scientific and Technological Research, Division of International Cooperation, General Affairs Division of the Yunnan Institute of Advanced Studies, University Science and Technology Park Co., Ltd., and Design and Research Institute Co., Ltd.
During his important visit to Yunnan in 2015, President Xi Jinping praised Kunming University of Science and Technology as a “nationally renowned university” and clearly stated, “KUST must take solid steps to embark on a path of innovation-driven development. It must attract and nurture innovation talent by combining cultivation and recruitment, addressing the shortage of innovative talent in Yunnan.”
Over the past decade, KUST has remained true to General Secretary Xi Jinping’s earnest instructions, achieving remarkable results in science and technology, education, industry, and culture. Looking ahead, KUST will continue to uphold the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind, deeply integrate itself into the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, and promote coordinated progress in “hard connectivity,” “soft connectivity,” and “people-to-people connectivity.” The university is committed to playing an active role and taking on its mission in fostering a shared future with neighboring countries, making the outcomes of the Belt and Road Initiative more tangible and impactful.
Translated by: MA Bingyu, Division of International Cooperation
Source: President’s Office
Issued by: Division of International Cooperation
