Abstract
The best word to describe the geopolitical status of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste is complex. It is a small insular territory, with a discontinuous land border, located in the Coral Triangle Region bordered by Wallace’s line and Lydekker’s line. This chapter discusses how the geopolitics of the Chinese ‘One Belt One Road’ initiative (B&RI) will impact Timor-Leste, in the context of the East Indies and Australasia, bearing in mind that in 2018, China became Timor-Leste’s second biggest trade partner (Retrieved on March 19, 2021, from http://www.forumchinaplp.org.mo/china-second-biggest-trading-partner-of-timor-leste-in-2018-ambassador/). It specifically addresses the relationship between Timor-Leste and the Maritime Silk Road strategy in the context of the People’s Republic of China and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP). Furthermore, it discusses the role of the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, identifies Timor-Leste’s vital interests, explores the development of economic security options in light of Timor-Leste’s future accession to ASEAN, and consequently the context of the East Asian Community (ASEAN+ 3), the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (ASEAN+ 6), and the Asia–Pacific Economic Cooperation (ASEAN+ 8). It likewise considers Timor-Leste’s national development plan and investment projects such as Tibar Bay and the Tasi Mane. Finally, it makes concluding remarks in relation to a possible exercise of functional power vis-à-vis China; Timor-Leste as a young sovereign island state, located deep in the Indonesian archipelago between two regional powers (Australia and Indonesia), and as a CPLP member state.
This chapter with the original title—The Geopolitics of Timor-Leste in the Context of the Belt & Road Initiative (B&RI) vis-à-vis ASEAN and CPLP—has been initially published in lhéu, Fernanda; Leandro, Francisco; Duarte, Paulo (2019). The New Silk Road and the Portuguese-speaking Countries in the New World Context. Sumaoriental. In 2022, all chapter has been extensively revised and updated and the publisher Sumaoriental has authorized its republication in a written declaration.
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Notes
- 1.
Retrieved on December 19, 2021, from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46386867.
- 2.
Retrieved on December 19, 2021, from https://canchamthailand.org/thailands-infrastructure-plans-and-canadian-capabilities/.
- 3.
Retrieved on December 19, 2021, from https://photos.nomadicnotes.com/img/s7/v163/p368258383.png.
- 4.
Listed by the World Bank in 2021, http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/fragilityconflictviolence/brief/harmonized-list-of-fragile-situations.
- 5.
Adapted from Sebille, E., J. Sprintall, F. U. Schwarzkopf, A. S. Gupta, A. Santoso, M. H. England, A. Biastoch, and C. W. Böning (2014). Pacific-to-Indian Ocean connectivity: Tasman leakage, Indonesian Through flow, and the role of ENSO. Journal of Geophysical Research Oceans, 119, 1365–1382, https://doi.org/10.1002/2013JC009525, p. 1373.
- 6.
Male Sea—the Tetum name for the Timor Sea between Timor-Leste's south coast and Australia.
- 7.
Retrieved in November 2021, from East-Timor Strategic Development Plan 2011–2030, p. 107, and http://www.statistics.gov.tl/pt/census-2/key-census-results/, and Retrieved in April 2022, from https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/timor-leste-population/.
- 8.
Timor-Leste Strategic Development Plan 2011–2030, p. 114.
- 9.
Timor-Leste Strategic Development Plan 2011–2030, p. 208.
- 10.
Retrieved on December 21, 2021, from https://www.indexmundi.com/facts/timor-leste/indicator/ST.INT.ARVL.
- 11.
‘A secure, resilient Australia extends into our northern approaches, our Exclusive Economic Zone, and our offshore territories’, 2016 Defence White Papers, §3.5, p. 69.
- 12.
China-Lusophone Brief, 2018. Retrieved in October 2021, from https://clbrief.com/greater-sunrise-at-last.
- 13.
Retrieved on April 11, 2021, from https://www.asiapacificsecuritymagazine.com/australia-and-timor-leste-step-up-defence-engagement/.
- 14.
Margesson, R., Coordinator (2005). CRS Report for Congress. Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami: Humanitarian Assistance and Relief Operations. Updated February 10, 2005. Retrieved on October 2, 2018, from https://fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL32715.pdf.
- 15.
Australian Government, Department of Defence, Supplementary Submission (76) to the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, Australia’s Relationship with Timor-Leste. On the model adopted by Timor-Leste Armed Forces, see Simões’s (2012) essay on the implementation of ‘Força 2020’.
- 16.
Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (FRETILIN).
- 17.
Retrieved in December 2021, from http://www.forumchinaplp.org.mo/about-us/mission-and-objectives/.
- 18.
Retrieved in January 2021, from http://www.plataformamacau.com/china/timor-leste-aposta-na-cooperacao-com-o-sul-da-china/.
- 19.
Retrieved in January 2021, from https://expedientesinico.com/2018/12/05/timor-leste-forum-macau-pode-ter-papel-reforcado-na-formacao-de-recursos-humanos.
- 20.
Approved by the Council of Ministers to take place in 4 phases between 2011 and 2025. Retrieved on March 8, 2019, from http://mucp-mfit.org/wp-content/uploads/Joao.pdf.
- 21.
Retrieved in January 2021, from http://www.atimes.com/article/will-timor-leste-become-chinas-next-debt-trap/.
- 22.
Storey (2012, p. 299), citing The Australian, April 16, 2008 ‘Alarm Grows at China’s Influence in Timor-Leste.
- 23.
UNTAET—UN Transitional Authority East Timor (1999–2002); UNMISET—Mission of Support in East Timor, 2002–2005; and UNMIT—UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste, 2006–2012.
- 24.
Retrieved in March, 2021, from http://en.people.cn/n3/2016/0118/c90786-9005098.html.
- 25.
Loro Horta interviewed by Sunanda Creagh and Tito Belo. Retrieved in January 2022, from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-timor-china-idUSTRE58D0GD20090914.
- 26.
(ASEAN member states) Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia.
- 27.
(ASEAN member states plus 3) China, Japan and South Korea.
- 28.
(ASEAN member states plus 6) China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, and New Zealand.
- 29.
(ASEAN member states plus 8) China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Russia.
- 30.
(ASEAN member states plus 9) China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Russia, and Canada.
- 31.
Retrieved in January 2021, from https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/acc_e/mc11g7group_e.htm.
- 32.
Retrieved on November 23, 2021, from https://www.asiapacific.ca/canada-asia-agenda/15-years-after-independence-whatever-happened-east-timor.
- 33.
Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam Membership Admission to ASEAN.
- 34.
Retrieved in April, 2022, https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2022/03/780504/becoming-asean-national-and-strategic-priority.
- 35.
- 36.
Retrieved in December, 2021, from www.eiu.com/topic/democracy-index.
- 37.
Retrieved on December 21, 2021, from https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Map-of-Timor-Leste-East-Timor-including-islands-of-Atauro-and-Jaco-and-exclave_fig1_311511099.
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Leandro, F.J.B.S., Leandro, J.E.G., Branco, C.M. (2023). The Geopolitics of Timor-Leste: Belt & Road Initiative (B&RI), ASEAN and CPLP. In: Duarte, P.A.B., Albuquerque, R., Tavares, A.M.L. (eds) Portugal and the Lusophone World. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-0455-6_27
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