It is heard that Timor-Leste, a small country, once broke free from Indonesian rule and successfully became independent. For our country, this seemingly small and impoverished country is of great significance. Timor-Leste not only has a unique geographical location, but also has a close relationship with China, which plays an important role in China's layout and influence in Southeast Asia.
First, let's take a look at the background and poignant history of Timor-Leste. Timor-Leste is one of the least developed countries in the world, both politicallyEconomyThey are still relatively backward in terms of national construction. The area is only 1It is 40,000 square kilometers, with a population of only 1.28 million, a GDP of only 2.7 billion US dollars, and a per capita GDP of only 19% of China. Timor-Leste has long been oppressed by Indonesia, and indigenous people have been subjected to repressive policies for many yearsEconomyHardship and social unrest are also common. In order to protect the overseas Chinese in East Timor, China even sends peacekeeping police every year, which is a rare treatment.
East Timor's journey to independence was a difficult one, initially due to Dutch and Portuguese colonial rule, which prevented East Timor from achieving true independence. Although Indonesia gained independence from Dutch colonial rule, East Timor was still considered part of Indonesia, and Indonesia's attitude towards the East Timorese was cold and heavy-handed. Due to the religious and ethnic differences between the East Timorese and the main ethnic group of Indonesia, East Timor has been ostracized and rejected by Indonesia for many years. In addition, Timor-Leste has long faced sluggish development, such as a literacy rate of only 5 per centEconomyIncome is mainly dependent on agriculture and the capital's fields, where 92 per cent of the population livesPoverty lineAs a result, this has made it extremely difficult for both the independence and development of East Timor.
However, East Timor's path to independence was not entirely isolated. China was the first country to recognize Timor-Leste and has provided it with extensive assistance. China's support in Timor-Leste includes road construction, which has enabled Timor-Leste to develop rapidly. Timor-Leste's growing relations with China are also due to the fact that Timor-Leste is more influenced by China. Timor-Leste's national language contains a lot of words from Cantonese, Hokkien and Hakka, which is very ChineseMaritime Silk Roadon an important supply depot.
Timor-Leste is important to China for two main reasons. First, Timor-Leste is strategically important to China's maritime strategy due to its unique geographical location at the intersection of Southeast Asia and Australia. Timor-Leste is rich in marine resources, including fishery resources and oil and gas resources, which are important for ChinaEconomyand energy strategic significance. Second, Timor-Leste is a small country, but it plays an important role in China's presence and influence in Southeast Asia. The cooperation between China and Timor-Leste will not only enhance China's influence in Southeast Asia, but also provide more cooperation opportunities and market development space for China.
In short, the independence of East Timor is of great significance to China. China's assistance and construction assistance to East Timor has enabled East Timor to shake off Indonesian oppression and achieve independence and development. Timor-Leste's geographical location and influence on China have made China's layout in Southeast Asia more perfect, and it is China's strategic peace in the regionEconomyInterests play an important role.