From April 7 to 13, at the invitation of the Chinese government, Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand visited China. On April 10, Princess Sirindhorn and her delegation visited Beijing Normal University (BNU). BNU President Yu Jihong met with the delegation.

Yu Jihong warmly welcomed Princess Sirindhorn's visit and expressed her admiration for the princess's long-term dedication to promoting exchanges between China and Thailand. She pointed out that this year marks the 50th anniversary of Thailand-China diplomatic relations, and the visit of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn fully reflected her high regard for Sino-Thai educational exchanges and cooperation. She believed that with the Princess's care and support, Sino-Thai education cooperation would achieve more fruitful results.

Princess Sirindhorn expressed gratitude to BNU for the warm reception. She appreciated the Pragmatic cooperation between BNU, the Chaipattana Foundation and other relevant institutions. She hoped that BNU and Thailand would further enhance their collaboration in areas such as rural education, youth exchanges programs, and sustainable development , aiming to elevate their partnership to new heights.

On the same day, Beijing Normal University (BNU), the UNESCO International Research and Training Centre for Rural Education (UNESCO INRULED) and the Chaipattana Foundation co-hosted the 2025 International Capacity Building Workshop on Education for Sustainable Rural Development.

BNU President Yu Jihong delivered a speech

At the opening ceremony, Yu Jihong extended a warm welcome and heartfelt thanks to Princess Sirindhorn for her presence at the workshop. She introduced the development of BNU and the cooperation with Thai educational institutions, and expressed her anticipation for further strengthening cooperation with Thailand in rural education and development.

Princess Sirindhorn delivered a keynote speech

Princess Sirindhorn delivered a keynote speech. She underscored a series of cooperation between the Chaipattana Foundation and China in agricultural and rural development, and spoke highly of the achievements made with BNU and UNESCO INRULED in enhancing leadership capacities for sustainable rural development. She emphasized that these in-depth cooperation will effectively reduce poverty and economic vulnerability, comprehensively enhance the resilience and independence of communities, and foster enduring prosperity and sustainable development.

China-Thailand Sustainable Rural Development Leaders' Collaborative Network

During the visit, Princess Sirindhorn and her delegation visited the BNU History Museum and BNU Library.

In the BNU History Museum, Princess Sirindhorn visited the university’s history exhibition and gained an indepth understanding of the university's profound educational heritage.

At the library, Princess Sirindhorn visited Thai Culture Themed Book Exhibition , Basic Education Textbook Exhibition, and Hongwenxuan Rare Books Collection Exhibition.

Princess Sirindhorn is an outstanding ambassador for China-Thailand friendship. She has made significant contributions to fostering mutual understanding between the two peoples and promoting cooperation in educational, cultural, and technological fields. In 2019, she was awarded the Medal of Friendship.

Over the years, BNU has established extensive cooperative relations with universities and research institutions from Thailand, yielding rich outcomes in talent cultivation, scientific research and cultural exchange. Taking Princess Sirindhorn's visit as an opportunity, BNU is committed to further expanding its in-depth cooperation with Thailand across a variety of fields and contributing to the friendship between China and Thailand.