On October 29, 2025, Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) President Prof. Pai-Chi Li and Dr. Wenchao Xue, Director of the Belt and Road Research Center (BRRC), paid a strategic visit to the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (RECCS/CAS) in Beijing, as a significant step to deepen Sino-Thai scientific cooperation. The cornerstone of the visit was the formal signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between AIT and RECCS/CAS, establishing a framework for long-term collaboration in environmental science and sustainable development. This institutional agreement marks a pivotal expansion of AIT’s network with leading Chinese research academies.
The high-level discussions centered on actionable plans to advance joint research through the established “China-ASEAN Joint Laboratory for Sustainable Development.” Both parties explored concrete collaboration avenues, including the exchange of researchers and students, the co-development of technologies for environmental monitoring and remediation, and the pursuit of large-scale joint research projects addressing regional challenges such as water security, ecosystem conservation, and climate resilience. This partnership leverages RECCS/CAS’s world-class expertise in eco-environmental sciences and AIT’s unique position as a regional postgraduate hub in Asia.
This newly formalized alliance, expertly facilitated by the BRRC, is strategically aligned with broader regional initiative of promoting green development and scientific connectivity. The collaboration is poised to generate impactful knowledge and technological solutions for sustainable development challenges common to China and ASEAN nations. It solidifies AIT’s role as a key bridge for regional academic exchange and positions the BRRC as a vital catalyst for turning diplomatic agreements into tangible research outcomes and capacity-building initiatives.