October 11-14, 2024, a Chinese delegation led by Dr Ma Jun, President of the Institute of Finance and Sustainability (IFS) and Chairman of the Capacity-building Alliance of Sustainable Investment (CASI) visited Timor-Leste to study the feasibility of developing a green tourism industry in the country. On October 14, the delegation was honoured to meet President Ramos-Horta of Timor-Leste to report its findings and explore specific options for positioning the country as a leading green tourism destination in Asia.

During the meeting with President Ramos-Horta, Dr Ma presented options for Timor-Leste to attract Chinese tourists, including adjustments to visa policies, establishing direct flights, and other forms of policy coordination. He stressed that the foundation for Timor-Leste’s tourism development should be built on sustainable infrastructure, including renewable energies, electric vehicles, water management systems, sustainable ports, and airports. He believes that green finance should play a key role in mobilizing investments from the international community, sovereign wealth funds, as well as the private sector to support green tourism development in Timor-Leste.

President Ramos-Horta expressed a warm welcome to the delegation and its proposal, stressing that green tourism represents a significant opportunity for Timor-Leste to showcase the country’s natural beauty while supporting its transition towards sustainable development. He expects the delegation to provide further details of an action plan, including the financing scheme. He believes that stronger economic ties between China and Timor-Leste will benefit both countries.

The 11-person Chinese delegation consists of senior experts in green finance, tourism, green building, and renewable energy, as well as representatives from financial institutions. During its four-day visit to Timor-Leste, the delegation held meetings with key ministries, international organizations, chambers of commerce, airlines, developers, hotel operators, and industrial parks.

Source: Linkedin - CASI