Wang Yi: China supports Timor-Leste's formal accession to ASEAN at early date

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday met with Bendito dos Santos Freitas, minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor-Leste, in China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, saying that China supports Timor-Leste's formal accession to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at an early date.

Since the China-Timor-Leste relationship was elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership last September, bilateral relations have achieved a historic leap, said Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

China is willing to continue to be Timor-Leste's trustworthy and reliable partner, and support Timor-Leste's development path suited to its national conditions, as well as play a bigger role in international and regional affairs, he said.

Wang called on both sides to implement the importance consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, and promote the continuous improvement and upgrading of the comprehensive strategic partnership.

The Chinese foreign minister said China's development will provide support and bring opportunities for developing countries including Timor-Leste.

Based on the needs of Timor-Leste, China is willing to give full play to its own advantages to focus on the four major areas of industrial revitalization, infrastructure development, food self-sufficiency, and improvement of people's livelihood, and create more highlights of practical cooperation, Wang said.

The two sides can deeply align development strategies and expand areas of cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), he said.

Wang said the Chinese side stands ready to establish an agricultural cooperation working team with Timor-Leste, deepen local exchanges, participate in Timor-Leste's infrastructure construction, expand personnel exchanges, and maintain close cooperation in areas such as culture, education, vocational training, tourism and sports.

For his part, Bendito said his country firmly adheres to the one-China principle, and is committed to enhancing friendly cooperation with China.

Timor-Leste looks forward to maintaining close high-level exchanges with China, strengthening cooperation in areas including economy, agriculture, technology and investment, and push for the implementation of more projects under the BRI to promote greater development of the two countries' comprehensive strategic partnership, he said.

The two sides also exchanged views on issues of common concern.