On March 4, Researcher Bing Xuwen, Deputy Director of Freshwater Fisheries Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, led an expert team to Timor-Leste to implement the overseas training program sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce and conducted research on Timor-Leste’s fishery industry and international cooperation. The expert team visited the Economic and Commercial Office of the Embassy of China in Timor-Leste and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Forestry of Timor-Leste. The delegation was received by Marcos Da Cruz, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Forestry of Timor-Leste, Zhao Suocheng, Counsellor of the Economic and Commercial Office of the Embassy of China in Timor-Leste, and Celestino da Cunha Barreto, Director of the Fisheries Department of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Forestry of Timor-Leste.

At the Economic and Commercial Office of the Embassy of China, Counselor Zhao Suocheng welcomed the expert group and said that Timor-Leste, as one of the young countries in the world, has a vast sea area and rich marine biological resources, and has great potential for fishery development. As a major global fishery country, China has provided Timor-Leste with various supports, such as fishery technical assistance and fishery personnel training, which is conducive to promoting friendly relations between the two countries. China and Timor-Leste has been established diplomatic relations for 22 years, and in the context of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, the two sides will continue to carry out all-round cooperation in fisheries, including capture, aquaculture and processing.

At the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Forestry of Timor-Leste, Minister Marcos and Director General Celestiono expressed their gratitude to the Chinese expert team, and introduced in detail the overview, advantages and challenges of the development of fisheries and aquaculture in Timor-Leste, and said that Timor-Leste has been committed to promoting bilateral cooperation with China in the field of fisheries, and this training program will be an important opportunity to build a new bridge for deepening the implementation of bilateral fisheries cooperation.

Deputy Director Bing Xuwen, leader of the expert team, successively introduced the development process, scientific research achievements and achievements in international cooperation of FFRC, as well as the overall objectives, arrangement, implementation content and implementation methods of this training task to Minister Marcos and Counselor Zhao Suocheng. He said that with the support of the two departments, the expert team will actively give full play to the professional and technical advantages of FFRC to ensure the successful completion of the fishery training and on-site technical guidance tasks, and make new contributions to the fishery cooperation between China and Timor-Leste.

In addition, the two sides also had in-depth exchanges on matters such as fishery cooperation and international talent training between FFRC and Timor-Leste.