From April 7 to 13, 2025, at the invitation of the Chinese government, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of the Kingdom of Thailand paid a visit to China. On April 11, Princess Sirindhorn and her delegation visited the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA). Xu Yang, Party Secretary of CAFA, and Lin Mao, President of CAFA, received the delegation. Thai Ambassador to China H.E. Piriya Khempon accompanied the princess on her visit. Also present at the event were Wu Jun, Counselor and Level-Two Inspector of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, and Zhou Guangxu, First Secretary of the Department. Wang Xiaolin, Deputy Party Secretary of CAFA, and Lü Pinjing, Vice President of CAFA, also attended the visit.

Lin Mao extended a warm welcome to Princess Sirindhorn. He gave a brief overview of CAFA’s history, educational philosophy, academic programs, and the achievements made in recent years in collaboration with Thai partners in education and research. He expressed his hopes for further cooperation between China and Thailand in the fields of art education and cultural exchange. Lin praised the Princess’s foresight and dedication to deepening bilateral friendship and cooperation, stating that her vision is deeply admirable. He expressed his hope that this visit would inject new vitality into the cultural and educational collaboration between the two nations.

After listening to the introduction, Princess Sirindhorn spoke highly of the accomplishments of the Central Academy of Fine Arts.

Lin Mao and Princess Sirindhorn exchanged gifts.

During her visit, Princess Sirindhorn toured the School of Chinese Calligraphy at CAFA. Accompanied by Dean Xu Hai, the Princess observed students in class and personally picked up a brush to write the Chinese phrase “艺道长青” ("The Art Path Endures Forever"), which was met with enthusiastic applause from faculty and students.

Following the class visit, the Princess and her delegation proceeded to the CAFA Art Museum. Jin Jun, Director of the CAFA Art Museum, accompanied the guests on a tour of the exhibition Modern Chinese Art from the CAFA Collection. Director Jin introduced the history and development of the museum. Princess Sirindhorn carefully viewed the artworks and frequently engaged in discussions with those accompanying her, sharing her impressions and insights.

A long-time admirer of Chinese culture, Princess Sirindhorn has visited China more than 50 times over the past 42 years. On September 17, 2019, President Xi Jinping awarded her the Friendship Medal in recognition of her outstanding contributions to enhancing mutual understanding between the Chinese and Thai peoples and promoting practical cooperation in education, culture, science, and technology.

The Central Academy of Fine Arts will continue to uphold its open and inclusive educational philosophy and deepen exchanges and cooperation with Thailand across various fields, contributing to the long-standing friendship between China and Thailand—as close as brothers, and enduring through the ages.