The Chinese have made a strong effort to court the Thai. The Thai military has a range of Chinese weapons systems in its arsenal; the PLA Navy is interested in closer links with the Thai navy, and China has worked with Thailand to improve air defense equipment provided to Thailand in the late 1980's.
The rise of China, and the perceived absence of a focused US presence in the region in recent years, is another strategic issue of concern to Thailand and the region. Thailand does not seek to choose between the US and China, rather preferring to have good relations with both and hoping the US strengthens engagement in the region. The overall Thai-Chinese relationship had developed rapidly since official relations had been established in 1975. In contrast to many other ASEAN nations, territorial disputes did not negatively impact Thailand's relations with China.