The Chinese Embassy in Timor-Leste says it has given US$20,000 to a Timorese charity, the Quesadhip Ruak Center Foundation, to help children made homeless by floods there last month.

China will continue helping Timorese to recover from the floods, a written announcement issued by the embassy on Monday quotes Chinese Ambassador to Timor-Leste Xiao Jianguo as saying.

Mr Xiao said his country would increase Sino-Timorese cooperation, especially in countering COVID-19, to improve the lives of Timorese.

The founder of the Timorese charity, Isabel Ruak Ferreira, the wife of Timorese Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak, thanked China for its prompt help, and promised to keep accepting Chinese charitable aid, the announcement by the Chinese Embassy says.