A Perfect Example of Good-neighborly and Amicable Relationship A New Chapter for the Friendship between China and Timor-Leste
A Perfect Example of Good-neighborly and Amicable Relationship
A New Chapter for the Friendship between China and Timor-Leste
-- In Commemoration of the 10th Anniversary of
the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between China and Timor-Leste
In a couple of days, Timor-Leste will celebrate its 10th anniversary of the restoration of independence. At the same time, China, together with Timor-Leste, will celebrate their joint festival, that is, the 10th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. On this special occasion, I would like to extend my cordial greetings and best wishes to the brotherly Timorese people, and to those who have long been caring and supporting the friendship of China and Timor-Leste.
On May 20, 2002, amid the solemn moment for Timor's independence ceremony, China was honored to be the first country to establish diplomatic relations with Timor-Leste, thus opening a brand-new page in the history of friendship between our two amicable and neighboring countries. Ever since then, China and Timor-Leste have been developing and consolidating their relations on the basis of sincerity, friendship, equality, mutual support and common development, which steers the development of bilateral relations in a healthy and stable momentum, and builds it into a perfect example of equality between large and small countries. In recent years, thanks to the joint efforts of both sides, the friendly relations and cooperation between China and Timor-Leste have enjoyed an in-depth and comprehensive growth, demonstrating three prominent characteristics.
Firstly, frequent high-level exchanges and increasingly deepened political mutual trust. China and Timor-Leste render each other respect and trust in the political field. The government and all political parties of Timor-Leste stick firmly to the One China Policy by backing China's efforts for national unity and territorial integrity, and offering invaluable support on issues related to Taiwan, Tibet and others, for which we feel so grateful.
China and Timor-Leste are in good contacts and coordination on international and regional affairs, aiming at jointly maintaining the lawful rights and interests of the developing countries. As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, China always follows and supports the reconstruction and development of Timor-Leste, safeguards the lawful rights and interests of Timor-Leste in the Security Council, supports all resolutions conducive to the stability and development of Timor-Leste, and participates actively in the work of UN agencies in Timor-Leste. Up till now, China has dispatched 15 police contingents to participate in the UN peace-keeping operations in Timor-Leste. With sound cooperation in the United Nations and other international organizations, China and Timor-Leste have been supporting each other in many international elections. China is supportive of the efforts of Timor-Leste to join ASEAN, and sincerely wishes Timor's hope become true at an earlier date.
Secondly, expanding scale of economic cooperation and trade. The economic cooperation and trade between China and Timor-Leste is still in the starting phase, however, bilateral trade volume has surged from 1 million USD in 2002 to 72 million USD in 2011, growing more than 70 times in a decade. In order to further bilateral economic cooperation and trade, China decided to gradually grant zero-tariff treatment to products of Timor-Leste exported to China from July, 2010. Bilateral cooperation in the field of project construction is outstanding. The Timor-Leste national electricity grid project, the largest infrastructure project ever since its founding, is now constructed by China Nuclear Industry 22 Construction Co., Ltd, and everything goes on smoothly so far.
The China-aid projects, including the office building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Presidential Palace, and the office building of the Ministry of Defense and F-FDTL, have all been put into use and become the landmark architectures in Dili. In addition, the primary school, the residential quarter for F-FDTL officers and the affiliated flood control project, as well as other projects aided by China, had been completed and transferred to Timor-Leste one after another.
Thirdly, comprehensive and practical cooperation in full swing. China has been actively supporting the capability-building efforts of the Timor-Leste Government. So far, more than 800 civil servants and technical personnel have been to China to take training courses, covering the fields of administration, tourism, urban planning, trade and investment, prevention and treatment of tropical diseases, infrastructure construction, poverty alleviation, fishery, and small hydropower projects, etc. Each year, the Chinese Government offers government scholarship for Timorese students. Up till now, 26 Timorese students had been admitted to Chinese universities. China pays more attention to the improvement of the livelihood of Timorese people. The hybrid rice project aided by China has entered its third phase. So far, China has dispatched more than 50 doctors, in 4 medical teams, to Timor-Leste, offering medical treatment to more than 150,000 local people. Besides that, China has offered material aids to Timor-Leste, including food, agricultural machinery, and security inspection systems, etc.
A friend in need is a friend indeed. The Chinese people will never forget the 500,000 USD donation offered by Timor-Leste to China after the Wenchuan Earthquake in 2008. As the first donation of Timor-Leste to foreign government after the restoration of independence, it is a vivid proof of the profound sentiments of friendship of the Timorese people towards the Chinese people.
Now, as we look back on the past decade and see how the friendly relations and cooperation between China and Timor-Leste have come through, some experience could be summed up for future development.
First of all, the profound friendship and sentiments between the Chinese people and the Timorese people is the solid foundation of the bilateral relationship. Although the national conditions are different from each other, there is no conflict of fundamental interests between the two countries, what could be found is nothing but long-standing traditional friendship, because both sides share the aspiration for a stronger bilateral relationship. On one hand, the Chinese Government attaches great importance to the relations with Timor-Leste, and deems Timor-Leste as a good neighbor, good friend, and good partner. On the other hand, to further develop relations with China have become the consensus of all political parties and people from all walks of life in Timor-Leste.
Secondly, mutual respect for each other's choice of development path that best suits the country is the fundamental guarantee of the development of bilateral relations. On our part, China respects the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Timor-Leste, never interferes in the domestic affairs of Timor-Leste, and always earnestly respects the efforts of Timorese people in exploring a development path that best suits its history, culture and national condition. China wishes Timor-Leste enjoy peace, stability and rapid economic growth, and play its due role on the international stage. For Timor-Leste, it respects the political system, the reform and opening-up policy, and the development pattern chosen by the Chinese people, and highly appreciates China's cooperation with Timor-Leste that affiliates no political conditions.
Thirdly, practical cooperation is the strong impetus to the development of bilateral relations. China understands the urgent needs of Timor-Leste in its development process, therefore, the aid gratis offered by China is mainly aimed at improving the capability of Timor-Leste in independent and sustainable development, and enabling the Timorese people to share the opportunities brought about by China's development. China attaches great importance to the strengthening of bilateral economic and trade ties, makes full use of the complementarities of the two economies, constantly advances practical cooperation, and strives for mutual benefits and a win-win situation, so that people of both countries could gain tangible benefits through the development of bilateral relations. China will, as always, offer supports to the best of its ability to Timor-Leste, help Timor-Leste to achieve national reconstruction and sustained economic development, and help more Timorese people to alleviate poverty and lead a happy and peaceful life.
Fourthly, people-to-people exchange is the inevitable demand for the development of bilateral relations. As the Chinese sayings goes, "neighbors are dearer than distant relatives", and "amity between people holds the key to sound relations between states". In addition to the advancement of practical cooperation in economic and trade fields, we should also emphasize on the strengthening of people-to-people exchanges. Only through deepening mutual understanding and fostering more successors of the cause of friendly cooperation between China and Timor-Leste, could the friendship between the two nations be strengthened and passed on from one generation to another.
At present, the international political and economic situation continues to undergo complex and profound changes. Against this background, China and Timor-Leste, both developing countries, are in the phase of implementation of national modernization strategies, and are bearing the major tasks of economic development and improvement of people's livelihood. China is now implementing the Twelfth Five-Year Plan, while the Timor-Leste Government has also formulated the 2011-2030 Strategic Development Plan, and both countries have set the economic restructuring and sustaining economic growth as top priority. Therefore, there is huge potential and bright future for bilateral cooperation. Both countries should make full use of these precious opportunities, give full play to their own advantages, deepen bilateral exchanges and cooperation in fields including politics, economy, trade, health and agriculture, strengthen communication and coordination in international and regional affairs, so as to bring more benefits to the two countries and two peoples.
The relationship between China and Timor-Leste is now hinged on a crucial moment of forging ahead into the future. As Chinese Ambassador to Timor-Leste, I am fully aware of my glory mission and important tasks. Looking back, we are proud of what have been achieved in the relations between China and Timor-Leste; looking forward, we are confident of the future of our bilateral relations. Taking advantage of the celebration of the 10th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations, we would like to make joint efforts with Timor-Leste to further strengthen friendly cooperation in all fields, and embrace an even brighter future for the relations between China and Timor-Leste.
