Presidential Palace Nicolau Lobato, 9 October 2023
This morning H. E. Wang Wenli presented the Letter of Accreditation to the President of the Republic H. E. J. Ramos-Horta as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste.
The relationship between the Island of Timor and China dates back to the sandalwood trading by the Chinese long before the missionaries and Portuguese explorers arrived on the shores of the Timor Island in the XVth Century. In the XVIIIth Century the Island of Timor registered the first Chinese settlements.
In most recent history, the People’s Republic of China was the sole member of the Security Council to express support for the Unilateral Proclamation of Independence of Timor-Leste on 28th November 1975. China was among the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with Timor-Leste upon restoration of independence in May 2002.
Since then, the Chinese government has committed over CNY743.1million for Timor-Leste in the form of grants ranging from building government infrastructures to the provision of goods and medical teams since 2003.
At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, floods and landslides which devastated part of the country, the Chinese government delivered 100,000 doses of SINOVAC vaccines, syringes, blankets, testing kits, ventilators, one million dollars for the Secretary of State for Civil Protection among other things.
Since June 2022, Timor-Leste received two high-level visits from the People’s Republic of China, the State Counsellor and Minister of Foreign Affairs, H. E. Wang Yi, and Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Nong Rong.
Given this long history, friendship, and partnership between Timor-Leste and the People’s Republic of China, on the occasion of the recent visit of Prime Minister of Timor-Leste, H. E. Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, both countries agreed to begin negotiations on a Comprehensive Strategic Framework Agreement to enhance development for the benefit of both countries and the peoples.
Timor-Leste is confident that the appointment of Ambassador Wang Wenli will further strengthen and take up to a higher level the cooperation and friendship existed between the two countries.
TVE & PR Media
