At a landmark event commemorating the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, and Maria Fernanda Lay, president of the National Parliament of Timor-Leste, met in Beijing to chart the next phase of their partnership.
Zhao highlighted China's commitment to building a "community with a shared future," stressing Beijing's support for Timor-Leste's chosen development path and respect for its sovereignty, security and growth priorities. "We are ready to accelerate our bilateral ties and bring more benefits to our peoples," he said.
Both sides agreed to deepen political mutual trust, expand the Belt and Road cooperation plan, and boost coordination in multilateral forums to amplify the Global South's voice. They envision a new era of joint projects and development initiatives that deliver real-world impact.
Lay expressed gratitude for China's long-standing support in Timor-Leste's bid to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and reaffirmed her country's adherence to the one-China principle. She pointed to opportunities in infrastructure, scientific innovation, renewable energy, agriculture, food security, special economic zones and people-to-people exchanges as key areas of future collaboration.
As the two legislative bodies look ahead, they pledged to increase exchanges among lawmakers, share best practices on governance and oversight, and strengthen ties that can drive sustainable progress across both nations and beyond.
Reference(s):
China's top legislator urges high-level mutual trust with Timor-Leste
cgtn.com
