BEIJING - Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping met with visiting Thai Princess Sirindhorn here on Thursday.

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping (R) shakes hands with visiting Thai Princess Sirindhorn in Beijing, April 5, 2012. [Photo/Xinhua]

China and Thailand are close and friendly neighbors, and bilateral ties have maintained a good momentum of development, Xi said.

He voiced appreciation for the royal families' support for China-Thailand relations and spoke highly of cooperation between the two countries in culture, education and youth exchanges.

The vice president also spoke highly of Sirindhorn's important role in enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples. The princess studied Chinese language and culture for years and actively introduced China's history, culture and development to Thai people.

Sirindhorn congratulated China for the progress it has achieved in technology and education, saying she was glad for continuous development of the bilateral friendship.

Sirindhorn said she will continue to make efforts for further development of the Thailand-China friendship.

Before the meeting, Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, also met with Sirindhorn.