Joaquim dos Santos said his party was concerned about quality, pointing to “previous” poor quality experience in large government-funded infrastructure projects such as the new road to Suai that collapsed after the annual monsoon rains.

He said he had no trust in contracts that were awarded without quality checks.

“Eventually it will be known if the quality is not good and by then we will have wasted state money,” Santos said in National Parliament on Thursday.

Santos called on the government to present documents to parliament showing how the contract was awarded.

On April 25, a statement released through the Shanghai Stock Exchange, said the Chinese company had signed a contract with Timor Gap valued at $943 million to prepare and construct the new port.

While not responding directly to Santos comments, Duarte Nunes, the Chairman of National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction, a coalition government party, said it was “positive” that Fretilin were getting involved in the port construction, a project he said they had previously rejected.

He then called on Fretilin to “cooperate” with Timor Gap to ensure the project ran well.

The port is part of the government’s multi-billion plan to create an onshore gas-processing industry.

According to the Timor-Gap website, the port will facilitate the reception of construction material and the export of liquefied gas.