DILI, 14 July 2026 (TATOLI) — China is preparing to establish a dedicated education fund to support Timor-Leste students as part of efforts to deepen bilateral cooperation in education, Chinese Ambassador to Timor-Leste Wang Wenli says on Tuesday.
Wenli announced the initiative after meeting with President José Ramos-Horta at the Presidential Palace in Dili. The meeting covered international and regional developments, as well as progress in bilateral cooperation, with a focus on education partnerships between the two countries.
The ambassador said supporting Timor-Leste students was one of the highlights of her discussion with President Ramos-Horta during the meeting.
She said the Chinese government will provide special funding through the Office of the President to support Timor-Leste students seeking further education opportunities.
“We are willing to provide special funds to the Office of the President to support Timorese students,” the ambassador said.
Wenli said education cooperation between China and Timor-Leste has continued to grow through the Chinese Ambassador Scholarship programme, which was launched in 2019 for students at the National University of Timor Lorosa’e (UNTL) and expanded in 2023 to include students from the Institute of Business (IOB).
“More than 600 Timor-Leste students have benefited from this programme so far. This year, we will provide an additional 136 scholarships,” she said.
Wenli said that the scholarship programme at UNTL and IOB was among the initiatives that received early support from President Ramos-Horta.
In addition to education cooperation, Wang said China and Timor-Leste also discussed plans to provide material assistance to communities in different municipalities.
She said the proposal had been under discussion with the President’s team for some time and had received support from President Ramos-Horta.
“We also discussed with the President the distribution of material assistance to communities living in various municipalities. This idea has been discussed with the President’s team for a long time, and the President has expressed his support for this cooperation,” Wang said.
Journalist: Reporter: Cidalia Fátima
Editor: Armandina Moniz
Translation: Filomeno Martins
