The Chinese Foreign Minister is visiting Timor-Leste later this week to meet with the country’s authorities and sign at least five cooperation agreements.
The Timorese Minister for Foreign Affairs, Adaljiza Magno, told Lusa that during the visit Wang Yi should sign a air services agreement with Timor-Leste and a cooperation agreement in areas such as agriculture, water and sanitation.
“An agreement is also planned for the shipment of Chinese medical equipment, an exchange of notes on the second phase of the feasibility study for the construction of the friendship hospital and an agreement to support the radio and television sector,” he explained. .
During his visit to Timor-Leste on Friday and Saturday, Wang Yi is scheduled to meet with his East Timorese counterpart and also with East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak.
Meetings are also planned with the former president and current leader of the National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT), Xanana Gusmão, and with the former prime minister and current secretary general of the Independent Revolutionary Front of East Timor (FRETILIN), Mari Alkatiri.
Wang Yi’s visit to Timor-Leste is part of a trip to other countries in the region, which began last week in the Solomon Islands.
According to the Associated Press (AP) news agency, Wang Yi will try to get the support of ten small Pacific nations for a comprehensive agreement, in various aspects, from security policy to fishing rights, in what could constitute a change in the game of influences in the region.
A draft of that agreement, obtained by AP, showed that China wants to expand cooperation in the area of justice and in the field of “traditional and non-traditional” security.
China also wants to develop a joint plan for fishing, including the lucrative catch of tuna in the Pacific, increase cooperation in the administration of cyberspace in the region and create branches of the Confucius Institute, a state body that promotes the teaching of the Chinese language. .
Beijing also touched on the possibility of establishing a free trade area with the Pacific Rim nations.
China last month signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands, raising fears that Beijing could send troops to the island nation or even set up a military base there, some 2,000 kilometers away from Australia.
The Solomon Islands and China said they had no plans for a base.
During the 10-day trip, Wang plans to visit Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea.
Source: Observadora
