President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste Jose Ramos-Horta arrived in Beijing on Sunday for a state visit to China that will last till Wednesday, his first visit since he took office in 2022 and the first state visit to China by a Timor-Leste president since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 2002.
The visit not only carries great significance in further elevating bilateral ties and expanding cooperation to include areas such as digital infrastructure, but also serves as \"a rebuttal\" against a Western smear campaign of so-called China-threat in the Asia-Pacific region, Chinese observers commented on Sunday.
Mao Ning, foreign ministry spokesperson, at a news briefing on Friday, said that China was the first country to recognize Timor-Leste's independence and establish diplomatic relations with it. Over the past 22 years, the bilateral relationship has continued to develop steadily.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to host a welcome ceremony and a banquet for Ramos-Horta, and the two presidents will hold talks, Mao said.
Premier Li Qiang and Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, will meet with Ramos-Horta respectively, she said.
Born in December 1949, Ramos-Horta previously served as Timor-Leste's prime minister from 2006 to 2007, and president from 2007 to 2012. He was re-elected president in 2022, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
The visit of President Ramos-Horta - a seasoned politician - carries great significance and shows the leader's firm commitment to developing ties with China, Chen Hong, executive director of the Asia Pacific Studies Center at East China Normal University, told the Global Times on Sunday.
Timor-Leste always pursues diplomatic and strategic autonomy and it consistently upholds its national interests in handling relations with Western countries, and it has always maintained its strategic clarity and resilience. The China visit is no doubt a slap in the face against the West's hyping of the so-called China threat, he noted.
News Voiced and Reported by: Buraq
Sources: NY Post | Fox News | VOA | CNN | BBC | Guardian | Reuters | AP
Genre: Current Affairs | Geo-Politics | China | Xi Jinping | Timor Leste | State Visit
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