On October 12, Mr. Xu Xingqiang, Chargé d'Affaires ad interim of the Chinese Embassy in Timor-Leste, attended and addressed the National Benchmarking Workshop on Essential Public Health Functions. H.E. Mr. José dos Reis Magno, Vice Minister of Health of Timor-Leste; Dr. Arvind Mathur, WHO Representative to Timor-Leste; Mr. Narciso Fernandes, Director-General for Corporate Services of the Ministry of Health of Timor-Leste; officials from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Forestry, the Ministry of State Administration, the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the Ministry of Public Works; local doctors; and media reporters attended the event. Mr. Zhao Suocheng, Economical and Commercial Counsellor accompanied Chargé d'Affaires Xu Xingqiang at the event..

Chargé d'Affaires Xu noted that the workshop is an important outcome of trilateral cooperation among the Chinese government, the WHO, and the Ministry of Health of Timor-Leste. Health is an important area of cooperation between China and Timor-Leste. China has dispatched 11 Chinese Medical Teams since 2004, treating over 300,000 patients．China has always been committed to advancing multilateral and bilateral health cooperation, and stands ready to work with the international community to build a global community of health for all.

Vice Minister Magno and Representative Mathur stated in their remarks that they will maintain close collaboration to ensure the project achieves tangible results, promotes the health of the Timorese people and the development of the public health system.