Timor-Leste
Gusmão, Alkatiri and Greater Sunrise: Timor-Leste calls parliamentary election
On 21 May, voters in Timor-Leste will head to the polls for the country’s fifth parliamentary election since 2002. Elections in one of Southeast Asia’s most vibrant democracies…
Seeking independence: three books to read this summer
In her book, Becoming, Michelle Obama revealed that her husband, former United States President Barack Obama, has about eight books on the go to read at any time. I’ve lived a…
A free trade zone for Timor-Leste and Indonesia
In July, Indonesian President Joko Widodo received President José Ramos-Horta for the first state visit of the Timor-Leste leader’s term. Both made proposals to deepen economic…
Greater Sunrise: Can Timor-Leste play the “China card”?
Ahead of a visit to Australia last month, Timor-Leste’s President Jose Ramos Horta sought to play the China card, raising the possibility of asking Beijing to finance the Greater…
José Ramos-Horta's Australian visit: a checklist
It’s been hard to miss José Ramos-Horta, the President of Timor-Leste, in the news over the past couple of weeks. He’s been doing the rounds with major media outlets, including…
Economic diplomacy: The Pacific beats ASEAN for nervous investors
Sticky money
As the new Labor government oscillates between promoting investment in Southeast Asia to deepen security ties and trying to keep the Pacific family together in the…
Unpacking the China/Timor-Leste bilateral agreements…
China and Australia’s duelling Pacific tours make final stops. East Timor deals cap Chinese foreign minister’s 10-day Pacific blitz. Anthony Albanese talks with Timor-Leste…
Timor-Leste, China and Australia, and the influence contest
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi last week concluded a Pacific tour – featuring some diplomatic gains and losses – with a 24-hour visit to Timor-Leste. The visit marks the island…
Timor-Leste: Building towards the next 20 years
This week, Timor-Leste will celebrate its 20th anniversary as an independent nation and inaugurate Jose Ramos-Horta as its new president. Since re-gaining independence in 2002,…
Three takeaways from Timor‑Leste’s presidential election
The results of Timor-Leste’s 19 April presidential run-off were unsurprising, with challenger Jose Ramos-Horta besting the incumbent, Francisco “Lú-Olo” Guterres, by a 24 per cent…