DILI (TOP) – The red dragon had sliced into the little crocodile's heart slowly but deeply. Micro, small and medium enterprises have been controlled and dominated by the Red Dragon.
Small merchant business players have been very worried about the presence of Chinese businessmen because almost all business activities ranging from small, medium and large scale are controlled and dominated by them.
Even though this situation happened like this, the Timor-Leste government under the leadership of the prime minister, Taur Matan Ruak, did not give up. The meeting of the council of ministers chaired by him has decided that his four ministers will sign four agreements with the Chinese government.
The four ministers are Minister of Transport and Communications José Agustinho da Silva to conduct negotiations on air services with the government of the Popular Republic of China and the government of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. And the Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs Joaquim Amaral to sign an agreement on economic and technical cooperation with the Chinese government.
The process of signing the four agreements at the office of the foreign minister on Friday, June 3, 2022./Net.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Odete Maria Freitas Belo has signed an agreement in the health sector with the Chinese government.
The Council of Ministers also mandated the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Social Communication Francisco Martins da Costa Pereira Jerónimo also signed an agreement with China's national television to continue the digitalization project on Timor-Leste's national radio and television (RTTL,E.P) which was allegedly full of scandals corruption.
A small trader from Atsabe, Ermera who now runs a small business in Dili has been worried about Chinese businessmen because according to him for almost ten years all small economic activities have been controlled and controlled by the Chinese.
"Actually, when they come here, they have to make a big investment in order to create new job opportunities, not to take away small business activities like this," Mateus da Costa told The Sydney Morning Heraldin Dili.
Dili businessman Mateus da Costa says he feels “this is a new invasion of the Chinese people through their economic activities”.CREDIT: Raimundos Oki.
He added that Chinese businessmen have not only carried out their business activities in Dili but have also expanded to all municipalities in Timor-Leste.
“I feel this is a new invasion of the Chinese people through their economic activities but our government has remained silent so far. It has to be well regulated, our indigenous people can also do small businesses like this,” he asked the government so that businessmen from abroad, especially from China, should invest, not come to compete with local entrepreneurs in the country."
"We feel very threatened all this time because almost all corners of Dili and in various municipalities have been controlled by Chinese businessmen who sell nine basic commodities".
China was one of the first country from Asia to support Timor-Leste's independence in 1975, while Australia and the United States provided Indonesia with powerful weapons for the invasion of Timor-Leste which resulted in 200,000 civilian deaths over 24 years.
A small Chinese stall in Audian. Credit: Raimundos Oki.
For 24 years, Australia and Indonesia have been exploring for oil and gas in the Timor Sea. Not satisfied, in 2004 Australia carried out espionage in the cabinet of Prime Minister Mari Bin Amude Alkatiri while the negotiation process over oil and gas was in progress.
Bilateral relations between Timor-Leste and China have been going well for 20 years, trusting and respecting each other as well as Australia but have shown hypocrisy and disgust towards this small country by “robbing” it of its natural wealth.
China does not support the Indonesian invasion and also does not carry out espionage, but since independence until now, almost all small economic activities have been dominated and controlled by businessmen from China. Indigenous business people feel threatened and ask the government to make good and strict arrangements so that they have to make investments that create new jobs instead of doing small businesses like what is happening in the country.
Fatuhada City also has been dominated by Chinese businessmen. Credit: Raimundos Oki.
Even so, but President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste José Manuel Ramos-Horta was very pleased and thanked the Chinese government for its assistance over the past 20 years.
The visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Pacific countries including Timor-Leste has caused various reactions from several superpower countries such as the United States and Australia, but the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize winner stated that the four agreements signed by the two countries, Timor-Leste and China is not about maritime security in the Pacific region but about health, air services and the digitization of government radio and television.
A joint pose between President Ramos-Horta and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the presidential office, Saturday 4 June 2020. Credit: Raimundos Oki.
“Only issues that I discussed with the foreign minister of China was our bilateral cooperation which have been going on for 20 years. I am very appreciated in China's support in many areas," Horta said through a press conference at the presidential palace.
He added, he personally would like to see expanded relationship with China but as president he wants basically advocating the programs . . . the request from Timor-Leste’s government.
If our government that define what are the specific priority area that Timor-Leste needs with China. We didn’t discuss any issue about maritime security, security in the pacific region but the Chinese is absolutely normal and the … they even find it amusing in this reaction from other country. Our government had signed four specific four agreements with Chinese government but nothing related to security issue,” he said.
According to Horta, Timor-Leste is in Asia and he also want to see China increase it’s support to Timor-Leste’s agriculture, health economic and education.
Horta also asked Wang Yi and several G-20 member countries to reduce interest rates on loans to third world countries because the Covid-19 pandemic and the war between Russia and Ukraine have hampered the global economy income.
“Not talking much but we focus on the very good bilateral relationship will continue and can further expand our bilateral relationship.”
Meanwhile, the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi explained that his visit to Timor-Leste was to celebrate Timor-Leste's 20th Independence Day and also the establishment of bilateral relations between the two countries.
Former prime minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão joins hands with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at Palásiu Governu, Saturday 4 June 2020. Credit: Eujevio Pereira.
He said, China is also the second largest economy in the world and is also a permanent member of the UN security council, China is also one of the developing countries in the world.
“I came here to hear from Timor-Leste to promote our bilateral relationship and to help Timor-Leste to improve the lives of its people. We are also committed to defending the United Nations convention on multilateralism.”
Audian City is now dominated by Chinese businessmen. Credit: Raimundos Oki.
And the other is to strengthen our bilateral relationship to improve the quality of infrastructure in Timor-Leste.
Another form of work is in the health sector. Beijing remains committed to helping Timor-Leste to eradicate infectious diseases by providing adequate medicines and health facilities.
“We will send more Health facilities to Timor-Leste. We only attach importance of mutual respect, mutual benefit between sovereign countries. We are also very supportive and will help Timor-Leste to become a member of ASEAN.”
China aims to do develop friendly relationship with all the all the countries in the world, not only in the Asia Pacific, but including Latin America and the Middle East.
“Our vision is to motivate other countries to pay more interest in this region and to encourage other countries also have to develop this region. I think this is important for all of the world. Otherwise, it's unfair to let the region to be forgotten.”
