Chinese influence on rise in East Timor? ‘Nonsense’, says former president José Ramos-Horta
“It’s a cliché and it’s silly”, says Nobel Peace laureate, who is in Hong Kong to launch his new book
Nobel Peace laureate and former president of East Timor, José Ramos-Horta, says claims of growing Chinese presence in the country are exaggerated.
“It has been extremely inaccurate and misleading when certain writings by academics or journalists talk about growing Chinese influence in Timor-Leste. It’s a cliché and it’s silly … It’s absolute nonsense to talk about growing Chinese influence,” Ramos-Horta told the South China Morning Post during a visit to Hong Kong.
He said China donated “three modest” pieces of infrastructure: East Timor’s foreign ministry building, the presidential office building and the ministry of defence building.
In the private sector, he said, China’s footprint was also small. “It’s very limited as well. Perhaps one hotel … nothing major in agriculture or other industries.”