Taipei Times
Date: Dec 23, 2016
By: Staff writer, with CNA

China will continue to explore the possibility of luring away nations that maintain diplomatic ties with Taiwan in the wake of Sao Tome and Principe severing its ties with Taipei, two China experts said.

The African nation on Wednesday announced that it was ending its 19-year-old diplomatic ties with Taiwan amid reports that Taiwan had refused its request for US$210 million in aid.

Former American Institute in Taiwan director Douglas Paal said that before a planned visit next month by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to four of the nation’s allies in Central America — Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador — China could be exploring the possibility of luring them away, either now or during her visit.

Paal, who has recently visited both sides of the Taiwan Strait, said that there are some in Beijing who believe China should react more strongly to Tsai’s Dec. 2 telephone call to US president-elect Donald Trump.    [FULL  STORY]