The small West African nation ended diplomatic relations with Taiwan less than a week ago.
Taiwan News
Date: 2016/12/26 16:09
By: Wendy Lee , Taiwan News, Staff Writer(By Associated Press)
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Beijing announced Monday that it has re-established diplomatic ties with Sao
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, right, shakes hands with his Sao Tome counterpart Urbino Botelho as they exchange signed documents during a signing ceremony at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, Monday, Dec. 26, 2016. China and Sao Tome and Principe officially resumed diplomatic relations on Monday, in a triumph for Beijing over rival Taiwan after the African island nation abruptly broke away from the self-ruled island last week. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Tome and Principe, a small West African nation that had just ended diplomatic relations with Taiwan last week.
China’s Foreign Ministry announced today that it has resumed diplomatic relations with the former Taiwan ally, after the two nations’ foreign ministers met in Beijing and signed books at a ceremony in front of their flags, less than a week after the small West African nation broke ties with Taiwan.
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said after signing the deal that Sao Tome will get full support from his nation in its quest for socio-economic development, according to media reports.
On December 21, Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry announced that Sao Tome has severed ties with Taiwan. The two countries have maintained mutual diplomatic relationships for nearly 20 years since May 1997, when Sao Tome switched diplomatic recognition from China to Taiwan.
Sources revealed that Sao Tome and Principe had recently asked for financial assistance of up to US$200 million dollars, but was turned down by the ROC government due to its unwillingness to engage in “dollar diplomacy.” [FULL STORY]
