China Daily

East Timor PM starts 6-day visit

July 27, 2004 7:35am Asia Intelligence Wire

Mari Alkatiri, prime minister of the Democratic Republic of East Timor, started a six-day trip to China in Beijing yesterday to meet State leaders.

It is his first visit to China as prime minister of the youngest nation in the world.

Alkatiri said his country values co-operation with China and encourages Chinese entrepreneurs to invest in East Timor.

Alkatiri made the remarks yesterday during talks with Premier Wen Jiabao.

East Timor was internationally recognized as an independent state and the world's newest democracy on May 20, 2002. During yesterday's meeting, Wen said China considers its ties with East Timor important and believes the two countries have co-operated well. He went on to say China will continue to do its utmost to aid East Timor, support the consolidation of the young nation, and boost mutually beneficial ties with East Timor.

Wen set forth a three-point proposal to promote bilateral relations, including beefing up efforts to increase political trust between the two countries through high-level contacts, exploring economic and trade co-operation of mutual benefit, and enhancing the co-ordination in the regional and international affairs.

Alkatiri noted China was the first nation with which East Timor established diplomatic relations upon winning its independence, reflecting the Chinese people's support of the fledgling state.

After Beijing, Alkatiri will visit Lanzhou, capital of Northwest China's Gansu Province, and Shanghai in the east.

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