New Timor Leste FTZ pavilion is unveiled

The Timor-Leste National Pavilion was unveiled at the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone National (Regional) Center on Wednesday.

It is the first national pavilion to open after the second China International Import Expo.

Bendito dos Santos Freitas, Timor-Leste’s ambassador to China, said support from all parties in Shanghai reinforces people-to-people connections and offers mutual benefits for the two countries and people.

He said the second CIIE gave Timor-Leste the opportunity to exhibit their own products and cultural performances to the world.

The island country mainly exports organic coffee, sandalwood, candlenut and handicrafts.

According to Mariano Sabino Lopes, the president of the Democratic Party in Timor-Leste, aside from rich oil deposits, Timor-Leste has a beautiful natural landscape and the potential to become a leading tourism destination.

“The Timor-Leste National Pavilion is a win-win result of the cooperation between civil organizations from Timor-Leste and the Shanghai Waigaoqiao International Trade Operation Center, and has received strong support from both governments,” said Liu Hong, president of Shanghai Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone Group Co Ltd.

The center provides comprehensive exhibition and trade cooperation platforms, especially for developing countries along the Belt and Road. To date, 12 countries and regions such as Chile, the Czech Republic and Greece have joined the center.

The Shanghai Free Trade Zone and the center serve as a testing ground for overseas products and services hoping to enter China.