BANGKOK - The upcoming visit of Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping to Thailand will surely help deepen the strategic cooperative ties between the two countries, Chinese Ambassador to Thailand Guan Mu said.

In a recent interview with Xinhua, Guan said Xi's three-day visit starting from Thursday will be the first time in 11 years that a Chinese vice-president visited Thailand, and is also the first visit by a top Chinese leader to the Southeastern country since the new Thai government was formed in July.

During the visit, Xi will meet with Thai Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and other senior officials  and sign a number of cooperative contracts, Guan said.

Xi will also visit the regions hit by recent flooding and send his sincere condolence and good wishes to the Thai people affected by the floods on behalf of the Chinese people.

Meanwhile, Xi also will meet with representatives from the political and business circles and students to renew the traditional friendship between the two countries and peoples.

The ambassador pointed out that the relationships between China and Thailand and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are facing new opportunities of development as the world experiences great developments, changes and adjustments.

"Asia is growing, and is becoming the most vigorous developing area in the world. The ASEAN is speeding up its integration process and deepening cooperation between member countries." Guan said.

Guan said the Thai economy has been growing at a steady and fast pace since the 1980s, and the country became a middle-income country in 1996.

The country's political situations has been easing up since the new government was sworn in after the general elections in July, Guan said.

After the worst floods in 50 years first hit the country in July, the government has been working on post-flood reconstruction with an emphasis on infrastructure, economic recovery, and boosting foreign investors' confidence.