A top defence analyst has sounded the alarm over the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste’s new strategic partnership with China, warning Western nations should be “concerned”.
Timor-Leste last week upgraded bilateral ties with the Communist nation in a comprehensive partnership which involves more cooperation on infrastructure and industry.The new deal was announced at the Asian Games. Picture: Liu Bin / Xinhua via Getty Images
According to a joint statement, the countries will establish the partnership to lead “concrete cooperation in various fields”. “With both China and Timor-Leste at a critical phase of expediting modernization and realising rejuvenation, while facing historic changes of the world, China-Timor-Leste relations bear greater strategic significance than ever before.”
Mr Davis argued the possibility of the Chinese military being able to operate from various locations in the Pacific would “fundamentally change Australia’s strategic geography”.