Timor-Leste opens embassy in Beijing

Beijing, Dec. 14 (Lusa) - China agreed Tuesday to provide East Timor with euros 2.7 million for projects to be determined by Dili, Foreign Minister José Ramos Horta said in the Chinese capital.

Ramos Horta told Lusa he had signed the aid agreement with his Chinese counterpart, Li Zhaoxing, after bilateral cooperation talks.

Among other possible areas of cooperation, he said he had raised the possibility of Beijing granting Timor the same export tariff exemptions it gives members of the 10-country ASEAN bloc for their agricultural products.

Li's reaction to the proposal "appeared to be positive", Ramos Horta said, noting that Dili already received such special tariff treatment from the European Union, Australia and New Zealand.

The foreign minister, who inaugurated Dili's first embassy in Beijing during his visit, also said he had discussed the possibility of China sending a business delegation to Timor early next year to study investment opportunities.

Jose Ramos Horta, state minister and minister of foreign affairs and cooperation of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, presided over the inauguration ceremony of the Timor-Leste embassy in China Tuesday.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei and the ambassadors of the United States., Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and many other countries to China attended the inauguration ceremony.

"Since we forged diplomatic tie in 2002, we have witnessed the smooth growth of bilateral relations over the past two years, and the opening of Timor-Leste embassy in China will help facilitate friendly bilateral exchange and cooperation in all spheres," acknowledged Wu in his speech at the ceremony.

While addressing the ceremony, Horta spoke highly of bilateral ties between the two countries and encouraged Chinese entrepreneurs to make investment in Timor-Leste, not only in oil and natural gas industry but in fisheries, meat processing and tourism sectors.

Located in the east tip of Nusa Tenggara Island, southeast Asia, Timor-Leste has a population of 800,000 with a Chinese population approximating 10,000.

BEIJING, Dec 14, 2004 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan met here Tuesday with Jose Ramos Horta, State Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Democratic Republic of East Timor-Leste.

Tang congratulated to Horta on the opening of the East Timor- Leste embassy in Beijing, saying the establishment of the embassy was a step forward in bilateral relations.

He also voiced his appreciation to East Timore-Leste for the achievements it had made since the country was founded, and said China was willing to actively make further exchanges and cooperation with East Timor-Leste and other neighboring countries.

Horta thanked China for its sincere help, adding that he hopes the embassy will further enhance the friendly relations with China. He also reiterated that the government of East Timor-Leste adheres to the one-China policy.

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