President Ramos-Horta welcomes Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun to deepen bilateral defense cooperation and strategic partnership

DILI, 19 August 2026 (TATOLI) – President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and Nobel Peace Laureate, José Ramos-Horta, on Tuesday received China’s Minister of National Defence, Admiral Dong Jun, for a high-level bilateral meeting at the Presidential Palace.

The meeting served to reaffirm the enduring diplomatic ties elevated under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and focused on expanding bilateral defence diplomacy, institutional capacity building, and technical collaboration between the two nations.

During the discussions, both leaders addressed key areas for future collaboration, including professional military education, logistics and technical support, and maritime security to safeguard coastal waters and national fisheries.

President Ramos-Horta expressed his appreciation for Beijing’s continued assistance to the FALINTIL-Defence Forces of Timor-Leste (F-FDTL), particularly commending the realization of the USD 20 million (CNY 162 million) Timor-Leste–China Friendship Hospital in Fatuhada, as well as the past humanitarian and medical missions carried out by the Chinese hospital ship Peace Ark.

President Ramos-Horta reaffirmed Timor-Leste’s steadfast, independent, and balanced foreign policy, emphasizing the nation’s commitment to constructive engagement in the Indo-Pacific while avoiding over-reliance on any single external partner.

Reassuring Timor-Leste’s adherence to the One-China principle, the Head of State underscored that ongoing partnerships in defence, healthcare, and infrastructure stand as vital pillars of South-South cooperation, peace, and long-term sustainable development for the Timorese people.

TATOLI