ETimor accepts Chinese funding to build military HQ
Updated
China has been working hard to spread its diplomatic influence throughout the Pacific, and nearby East Timor has now joined a long list of countries receiving many of the benefits.
The two countries have moved a little closer on military cooperation having signed a contract for China to build East Timor's new military headquarters.
Presenter: Sara Everingham in Dili
Speaker: Clinton Fernandes, senior lecturer at the University of New South Wales; Fergus Hanson, research fellow at the Lowy Institute
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EVERINGHAM: A ceremony was held in Dili to mark more largesse to East Timor from China. At a cost of nine million dollars China will build East Timor's new military headquarters.
Clinton Fernandes from the University of New South Wales is a Timor observer.
FERNANDES: Yeah, China was the first country to establish diplomatic relations with East Timor when it became independent in 2002 and most of its aid to East Timor has actually been devoted to constructing buildings that give it a lot of exposure for very little money, so it's built the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it's built the presidential palace and now the headquarters of the Timorese defence force. It gives it a lot of exposure for very little money.
EVERINGHAM: Fergus Hanson from the Lowy Institute agrees it's part of China's pursuit of so-called soft power, particularly in the region.
HANSON: I think it does create influence. There's a perception amongst a number of Pacific countries that Chinese aid is very useful. It tends to target elites, so it tends to be well received by them. There's a number of examples of China building headquarters or premises for leaders which I think is naturally very well received by those leaders.
EVERINGHAM: Now China's moving into the military realm and last month East Timor brought two Chinese patrol boats for its navy. Clinton Fernandes thinks China's looking to East Timor's natural resources.
FERNANDES: So it works with all the Portuguese language nations, mainly Portugal of course and Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, and East Timor in order to strategically build relations between China and them. Many of those nations are quite resource rich, but underdeveloped, and China believes that by engaging directly the community of Portuguese language nations, it will have access to resources as well as good relations with all of them.
EVERINGHAM: Fergus Hanson again.
HANSON: I think we should not get too excited about what China is doing in East Timor. It is the context of other countries like Australia we're giving over a hundred million in foreign assistance here in the current year and this project is going to be worth a few million dollars, so it's really is not in the same ball park as Australia's assistance to East Timor. But it is a significant project in the context of what China's been doing in East Timor and I think it is an attempt to try and at least cultivate influence in East Timor, but when it comes to resources and things like that, I think they are relatively negligible in the grand scheme of things and there is really no clear agenda that China seems to be pursuing this region besides cultivating a modest amount of influence.
EVERINGHAM: Australia's still the largest donor to East TImor and military ties are strong. But recently East Timor's been asserting its independence. And Xanana Gusmao made it clear Timor might request military training from China and is well within its rights to do so.
HANSON: I think he is sending a message and it's quite a clear message that it would be illegitimate for other countries to try and seek to constrain East Timor's options. I think that's a message to Australia that it's East Timor's right to pursue this type of cooperation with other governments, including China.
EVERINGHAM: East Timor's government says it's grateful for the help and it's working with many countries in different ways to develop its nation.
