A task force of ships from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy started on Saturday a five-day official visit to East Timor, Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua reported.

It is the first time the Chinese navy has visted East Timor since the archipelago became a sovereign state in 2002, the report said.

Task force 152 – consisting of a destroyer, a frigate and a supply ship – was welcomed at the port in Dili by more than 500 representatives from local Chinese companies and by students. East Timor’s Defence and Security Minister Cirilo José Cristóvão and China’s Ambassador to East Timor, Liu Hongyang, also attended the welcoming ceremony.

Mr Cristóvão and Wang Jianxun, commodore of task force 152, were quoted as saying the visit would further promote the development of relationships between the two nations, including on defence co-operation.

During the visit, the Chinese navy will host anti-piracy seminars and sports games with its East Timor counterpart. Representatives from the PLA Navy will also visit a local school.