When it comes to the evolution of Sino-Thai relations, one must put aside all the geopolitical determinants and even such subjects as the current Russia-Ukraine war, the ramifications of the US-China standoff and tourism. The topic is durian, which serves as the weathervane of their long-standing bilateral ties. The durian, known worldwide as the "King of Fruits", is more than just a sticky, thorny and, yes, smelly fruit; they also define the nature of the five-decade-old Sino-Thai relations.
Yu Haiqiu of the Yunnan Academy of Social Science says that Thai durians were introduced to the Chinese palate a little more than two decades ago through border trade along China's southern provinces of Yunnan and Guangxi, adjacent to Vietnam and Laos. Since as early as 1958, China has tried to cultivate durians in those southern provinces but to no avail. Only in the past 20 years has the island of Hainan been able to grow durians for local consumption.
