Timor-Leste president says ties with China "exemplary, exceptional"

China

Timor-Leste president says ties with China "exemplary, exceptional"

2024-08-03 10:14 Last Updated At：23:37

Timor-Leste's President Jose Ramos-Horta has said that ties with China are "exemplary" and "exceptional", expressing the hope that China will give greater technical support to his country in agriculture and water conservation.

In an interview during his just concluded state visit to China, Ramos-Horta said China is able to help tremendously with Timor-Leste's development of agriculture, which is a pillar of its economy.

"One word, I would use 'exemplary' or 'exceptional', [to describe] the bilateral relations between Timor-Leste and China. I hope, I believe we continue to expand based on the common understanding, wishes of the two sides, this relationship can expand significantly," said Ramos-Horta.

"My main interest and concern that is where China can help tremendously with know-how, expertise, experience, and it doesn't have to be with money, with cash, because we do have a decent sovereign fund derive from our small gas and petroleum revenues. But sometimes, one has money, but doesn't really know how to use this money, how to invest properly. So my concern has been, the request is for China to give us greater technical support to improve agriculture output, to ensure for us food agriculture sovereignty, to help us with water supplies, to help us with better seeds for agriculture, recover rainwater, (which) comes and then in full speed down the mountains and destroys everything along the way, into the sea with the top soil goes [going]. And so [there is the question of] how to retain this water for agriculture, for fish farming. And so China can do that with know-how," he said.

"President Xi Jinping completely agrees with that, ready to support more than in the past. It has been already [that] the agricultural support [is] going on in Timor-Leste right now. Soon after I spoke with the ambassador of China in Timor-Leste about studying water resources of Timor-Leste, Chinese engineers came right away, and they have carried out already engineering studies about water," said Ramos-Horta.

At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, Timor-Leste's president paid a state visit to China from July 28 to 31. This is Ramos-Horta's first visit to China after he took office in 2022 and the first state visit by a Timor-Leste president to China since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 2002.

In'tl Red Cross Committee vice president hails deepening ties with China

2024-09-17 18:58 Last Updated At：19:17

Vice President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Gilles Carbonnier on Saturday said he was encouraged by the humanitarian organization's deepening relationship with China.

In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) during the 11th Xiangshan Forum, Carbonnier said the ICRC has not only been engaged in dialogue with China and other states, but has also welcomed the country's involvement in the launch of programs to help people affected by conflicts.

"China is definitely a major player. We really are very encouraged to see that our relationship with the PLA, with the People's Liberation Army, with the Ministry of Defense deepening on several issues of common interest, especially on International Humanitarian Law and humanitarian priorities. We at the ICRC really look forward to developing this dialogue, of course, here in Beijing, but also as we're doing in Geneva, in New York, as well as in the field, for example, where Chinese peacekeepers are also active," he said.

The three-day Xiangshan Forum opened on Thursday in Beijing, attracting more than 500 representatives of official delegations from more than 100 countries and international organizations, and over 200 experts and scholars to discuss global security.

At the forum, Carbonnier delivered a speech on the topic of the international mechanism and global security governance.