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 China |  Timor-Leste |
|---|---|
China-Timor-Leste relations were established shortly followingTimor-Leste's independence on May 20, 2002.[1]: 107 However,China had established a representative office inDili in 2000, when it was still underUnited Nationsadministration.[2]
Since Timor-Leste's independence, China has financed the construction of the Presidential Palace inDili, as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the residential headquarters of theDefence Force.[3]
Timor-Leste and China both participate in the multi-lateral groupForum Macao, which China formed in 2003 to increase economic and commercial cooperation between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries.[4]: 62
In 2003, Beijing signed a deal with theCommunity of Portuguese Language Countries, of which Timor-Leste is a member, to increase trade and economic development among the countries.[5]
Timor-Leste's dismissal of hundreds of soldiers resulted in demonstrations and then riots inDili, prompting the Chinese embassy to shelter and then evacuate Chinese citizens.[6]: 79
In 2006, the thenPresidentXanana Gusmão called China "a “reliable friend” and had committed Timor-Leste to aOne China policy.[7]
In 2014, the two countries issued a joint communiqué reaffirming that Timor-Leste recognised the Government of the People's Republic of China as "the sole lawful Government representing the whole of China", thatTaiwan was "an inalienable part of the Chinese territory", and that Timor-Leste would not establish "any form of official relationship or conduct any form of official contacts" withTaiwan.[8]
When East Timor was underPortuguese rule,Taiwan, as the "Republic of China", had a Consulate inDili.[9] However, whenFretilin unilaterally declared the territory's independence as the Democratic Republic of East Timor, on 28 November 1975, the People's Republic of China was one of the few countries in the world to recognise the new state.[10]
Following theIndonesian invasion on 7 December 1975, China, as a permanent member of theUN Security Council, supportedUnited Nations Security Council Resolution 384 deploring the invasion, upholding the territory's right toself-determination and calling on Indonesia to withdraw.[11]
There is also increased military cooperation between the two countries, with the 2008 purchase of twoShanghai-Classpatrol boats from a Chinese company.[3][12] These boats were initially to be crewed by Chinese sailors, while the Chinese trained the Timorese to guard their coasts.[12] In addition, China signed a contract providing US$9 million toward the building of a new headquarters for the military in Timor-Leste.[3]
Effective 1 December 2024, China eliminatedtariffs for goods imported from all of the countries that the United Nations categorizes asleast developed and with which China has diplomatic relations, including Timor-Leste.[13]
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