Prime Minister's roadshow in Thailand targets four leading Chinese companies to promote Thailand as a manufacturing base for EVs and AI.

The Prime Minister met with four major Chinese companies one-on-one in Chengdu to promote investment in future industries, EV technology, digital platforms, and focus on research and human resource development.

On July 18, 2026, at 12:40 PM (Chengdu local time), at the Tianfu International Convention, Chengdu, People's Republic of China. Ms. Rachada Thanadirek, Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office. revealed that Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul met and exchanged views with leading Chinese private companies on a one-on-one basis. These include Xiaomi Corporation, ChangAn Automobile, Innolight Technology, and Eoptolink Technology. The key points are summarized as follows:

• Chinese private companies are interested in expanding their investments further, seeing the readiness and advantages available.

The Prime Minister stated that today's meeting with leading Chinese private sector figures revealed significant interest in investing in Thailand, as they perceive Thailand's advantages, including geopolitical benefits as the center of ASEAN and well-developed infrastructure.

In particular, a conducive ecosystem for investment, such as clean energy, infrastructure, electricity systems, skilled personnel, government facilitation for investors under the Thailand FastPass program, and BOI incentives, have led many companies that have already invested in Thailand to plan for expansion. Furthermore, companies looking to expand their investments outside of China are also interested in and considering Thailand as an investment destination.

"This meeting with Chinese investors was not just about listening to their concerns, but about building confidence in the private sector, assuring them that Thailand will be a conducive production base and that Thailand will help them achieve their ultimate investment goals." The Prime Minister emphasized

• Going beyond initial investment, we focus on research and development to cultivate human resources.

The Prime Minister stated that, in addition to reassuring the private sector, today's discussions also acknowledged suggestions for continued cooperation, particularly in R&D. All companies agreed that investment is not just about setting up factories and utilizing domestic resources, but also emphasizes investment in R&D, technology transfer, and human resource development. This reinforces Thailand's readiness in emerging industries and AI, aligning with the IMF report which identifies Thailand as one of the top four AI manufacturing bases globally and a key player in global supply chains.

Details of the discussions with each company.

1. Xiaomi Corporation By Mr. LAM Alain, Vice President and CFO of Xiaomi Corporation, a leading technology company operating in the IoT, AIoT, and smart device industries, including Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones, tablets, laptops, smart home devices, and the electric vehicle (EV) industry.

Currently, Xiaomi's EV business primarily operates in China, focusing on manufacturing, research and development, and sales. They plan to expand into international markets and establish a research and development center for electric vehicle design in the ASEAN region. They view investing in Thailand as beneficial for expanding their activities, including exporting to Europe.

2. ChangAn Automobile Company By Mr. Zhu Huarong, Party Secretary and Chairman of Chongqing Changan Automobile Group Co., Ltd., one of China's four largest automobile manufacturers and a leading state-owned enterprise producing both internal combustion engine vehicles and new energy vehicles (NEVs), including electric vehicles and key components, with production bases and research and development centers.

Including its distribution network in over 129 countries worldwide, the company announced that it has selected Thailand as its first overseas production base, located in Rayong province, to produce right-hand drive electric vehicles for the ASEAN and global markets. It will also establish an International Business Office (IBC) and a research and development center to promote Thailand as a hub for the electric vehicle industry and high-value businesses.

3. Innolight Technology Company Led by Mr. Liu Sheng, CEO, the company is a leading global manufacturer of optical transceivers, specializing in the research, development, and production of computer equipment. Thailand serves as its largest overseas production base and a key research and development center.

The focus is on developing and producing applications in artificial intelligence (AI) and data centers, aiming to increase the use of green energy in core production processes. The report indicates the employment of Thai personnel and researchers, plans to expand research and development (R&D) collaboration, and increased use of domestically produced raw materials and components.

4. Eoptolink Technology Company Led by CEO Mr. Gao Guangrong, the company specializes in the design, manufacture, and sales of optical transceivers, a key technology for data centers. The company has experienced continuous growth driven by the increasing demand for AI computing and cloud data centers, and is one of China's leading optical transceiver manufacturers.

This includes being part of the supply chains of leading global technology companies such as Google, Microsoft, and Amazon. Currently, Thailand serves as the company's first and only production base outside of China, employing over 8,000 people in Chonburi and Rayong provinces. The company has confirmed to the Thai government its plans to expand production capacity and make further investments in Thailand to strengthen its position in the supply chain and ensure sustainable business operations in the country.

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