东帝汶总统驳斥澳媒涉华报道:天天臆想“中国幽灵”
2023-10-07 18:05阅读:

10月3日《卫报》发表的专访报道中,奥尔塔透露,东帝汶和中国刚刚宣布将两国关系提升至全面战略伙伴关系,而此事竟然引发一些国家的担忧,“这让东帝汶和中国都感到困惑”。
事实上,澳大利亚和中国也是全面战略伙伴关系,但东帝汶与中国的关系经常被澳大利亚及其包括美国在内的盟友跟一种所谓的“担忧”联系起来,那就是中国在“印太地区”的影响力日益增加。对此,东帝汶领导层拒绝接受这些“担忧”,而是表示寻求与所有全球大国建立密切关系,以确保其未来。
对于澳媒的这些炒作报道,奥尔塔予以了批评,并质疑一点——在东帝汶同多个国家进行军事合作的情况下,为何要对东帝汶和中国的关系“感到担忧”?
他在社交媒体发文称:“澳大利亚的主流和右翼媒体上充斥着‘臆想出来的中国幽灵’。难道我们应该佩戴徽章来表达对澳大利亚‘永恒的爱’吗?即便如此做了,过度嫉妒的澳大利亚媒体难道就会停止指责我们‘忘恩负义’和‘亲华’吗?”
对于澳大利亚和美国发出所谓“担忧”的这些说法,奥尔塔向《卫报》再次否认和澄清。他表示:“军方交往意味着友好的海军舰船访问。几年前,一艘(中国)海军舰船来过这里;几周前,一艘(中国)海军医院船来过这里。军方交往还意味着军方高层之间的互访。”
Timor-Leste president hits back at Australian criticism of
new partnership with China
José Ramos-Horta rejects concerns about plan that includes enhanced
military engagement as ‘imagined Chinese ghosts’
Helen Davidson in Taipei
Timor-Leste’s president has hit back at criticism of a new
partnership between his country and China, which includes plans to
enhance military engagement, accusing detractors of “imagining
Chinese ghosts”.
José Ramos-Horta, serving as president for the second time, told
the Guardian that both Timor-Leste and China were “confused” by the
concerns raised over the upgrading of ties between the two
countries to a “comprehensive strategic partnership” announced last
week.
Australia’s relationship with China is also designated a
“comprehensive strategic partnership”, but Timor-Leste’s had been
linked to concerns from Canberra and allies including the US over
China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific.
Timor-Leste’s leadership has rejected such concerns, instead
seeking to have close ties with all global powers in an effort to
secure its future. Ramos-Horta criticised the coverage and
questioned why there was concern over the China relationship when
Dili partnered and cooperated militarily with multiple
nations.
“Imagined Chinese ghosts in Australia mainstream and rightwing
media,” Ramos Horta said over WhatsApp. “Should we wear badges
proclaiming our enduring love for Australia? But even then, would
the over jealous Australian media stop accusing us, poor
Timor-Leste, of being ungrateful [and] pro-China?”
The Chinese leader, Xi, and Timor-Leste’s prime minister, Xanana
Gusmão, announced the relationship upgrade after a meeting on the
sidelines of the Asian Games in Hangzhou last week.
A joint statement from the two leaders largely outlined plans for
partnering on trade, infrastructure and improving food sufficiency
and livelihoods in Timor-Leste. However it also included plans to
“enhance high-level military exchanges, strengthen cooperation in
areas such as personnel training, equipment technology, the conduct
of joint exercises and training”.
The language sparked concerns that the two nations were discussing
a potential arrangement similar to the security pact signed between
China and Solomon Islands in July. Australia and other nations
including the US expressed serious concern over that pact, wary of
how the Chinese government may use its increasing presence and
influence in the region to further its expansionist claims in the
South China Sea and over Taiwan. Timor-Leste was among Pacific
nations to reject a subsequent failed Chinese proposal for a
regional security agreement.
Ramos-Horta, a former leader of Timor-Leste’s independence movement
in exile and also a former prime minister of the country, rejected
suggestions that Timor-Leste was now making the same deal.
“Military exchanges mean friendly navy ship visits,” he said when
asked to clarify that section of the joint statement. “One
[Chinese] Navy ship came here a few years ago and a Navy hospital
ship came [two] weeks ago. It also means exchange of visits by
military leaders.”
He did not respond to requests to clarify the joint statement’s
mentions of personnel training, equipment technology and joint
exercises. Last week he told the Guardian that Australia remained
Timor-Leste’s “preferred defence and security partner”.
Ramos-Horta had previously told Reuters that military cooperation
was not discussed as part of the bilateral relationship upgrade,
despite its inclusion in the joint statement which he had also
published on his social media. He did not respond to requests to
clarify that statement.
Timor-Leste is one of the world’s most impoverished nations and is
heavily reliant on oil and gas reserves to sustain its economy. It
has close ties with Australia but also a complicated history
primarily linked to decades of fractious negotiations between the
two countries over the Greater Sunrise oil and gas fields in the
Timor Sea.
Australia and Timor-Leste reached an agreement in 2018 after
decades locked in negotiations over the reserves, during which
Australia engaged in highly criticised behaviour, including spying
on Timorese negotiators.