The Embassy of Timor-Leste in Beijing has established and coordinated students’ group discussion for Timorese students in China. The objective of the group discussion is to facilitate and encourage students to learn from each other, to be able to share their ideas and thoughts to others, and also to motivate students to discuss current issues in Timor-Leste and the world, and bring lessons from China and other country to Timor-Leste. The discussion involves every Timorese student, especially those who are studying in Beijing and nearby provinces, since September 2011. The group discussion is conducted on monthly basis. The group discussion’s activities are managed by students themselves and are sponsored by the embassy. Students are given chance to chair the discussion, responsible for taking notes and prepare meal for lunch/dinner.

This month’s group discussion was conducted on 29^th July 2012 at the Residence of the Second Secretary of the Embassy. The theme for the discussion was about: Economic Development of China and Lessons for Timor-Leste. Azevedo Marcal, a PhD student in Development Economics was the chair and speaker for the discussion. The next discussion will continue to be chaired by Azevedo Marcal on Economic Development of South Korea and Singapore and Lessons for Timor-Leste, on 12^th August 2012. The discussion on economic development of China, South Korea and Singapore is important to encourage and motivate students to be aware of and learn from other countries’ development experience. This topic was to brief participants about China’s, South Korea’s and Singapore’s economic development and future economic prospect. This also aims at defining lessons Timor-Leste can learn from these three countries’ economic development experience.