BEIJING (AP) — Taiwan says the African island nation of Sao Tome and Principe has broken their diplomatic ties.

Just 21 countries and governments now have diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Most of the world and the United Nations do not formally recognize Taiwan as a condition of maintaining relations with Beijing, which considers Taiwan a part of its territory.

China’s foreign ministry on Wednesday said it welcomed Sao Tome’s decision to “break the so-called ‘diplomatic’ ties with Taiwan.”

China did not say whether it would resume its own diplomacy with Sao Tome. Beijing suspended relations between the two sides in 1997, after Sao Tome established relations with Taipei.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. </s> TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — The U.S. dedicated a new de-facto embassy in Taiwan on Tuesday in what officials described as an indicator of robust ties with the self-governing island democracy that China claims as its own territory.

The recently completed American Institute in Taiwan office in a suburb of the capital Taipei will house U.S. representatives and serves American interests in the absence of formal diplomatic ties.

The U.S. switched diplomatic recognition to Beijing in 1979 but maintains close economic, political and security ties with Taiwan.

"We should all be proud of this milestone, which is a symbol of the close cooperation and enduring friendship between the United States and Taiwan," AIT Director Kin W. Moy, the U.S. ambassador in all but name, said at the dedication ceremony.

Joining Moy was U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Marie Royce, who called the new office "a symbol of the strength and vibrancy of the U.S.-Taiwan partnership in the 21st century."

"Our friendship brings the best out of both our peoples," Royce said.

Among other officials attending the ceremony was Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen, whose independence-leaning administration Beijing has sought to isolate diplomatically and threatens with invasion.

The sides split amid civil war in 1949, and Beijing insists they eventually unify under its rule. Tsai, who leads the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, has refused Beijing's demand that she recognize Taiwan as a part of China, leading to a prolonged freeze in relations that had been gradually warming under her predecessor, Ma Ying-jeou of the pro-unification Nationalist Party.

China bars Taiwan from membership in the United Nations and many other international organizations and has been luring away the island's remaining diplomatic allies, leaving it with just 18. Beijing has cut all contacts with Tsai's government, reduced the number of Chinese tourists visiting the island and upped its military threat with war games and air patrols around the island and by sailing its aircraft carrier through the Taiwan Strait.

Meanwhile, Taiwan's relations with the United States have grown closer amid Washington's own struggles with Beijing.

In March, President Donald Trump signed the Taiwan Travel Act that encourages high-level visits between the two sides. A month later, the Department of Defense agreed to give American contractors marketing licenses for diesel-electric submarine technology sought by Taiwan's armed forces.

And last month, the White House accused China of "Orwellian nonsense" for demanding that international airlines refer to Taiwan as a part of China on their websites.

"Taiwan-U.S. relations appear to be more practical and closer than before, so Taiwanese people will have more expectations," ruling party legislator Lee Chun-yi said. "China's pressure on Taiwan is inciting a backlash from the public here."

Still, the United States has not sold F-35 fighter jets, as requested by Taipei, offered actual submarines or docked a naval vessel in Taiwan despite talk in Washington.

"I think Taiwan-U.S. relations have improved in appearance, not in substance," said Chen I-hsin, an emeritus professor of diplomacy in Taiwan.

Taiwan also risks being sidelined in Washington if Trump feels satisfied that China has addressed its massive trade surplus with the U.S., said retired strategic studies professor Lin Chong-pin.

"It's been said before that Taiwan is being used as a bargaining chip, and so far we cannot rule that out," Lin said.

Washington's decision to "slightly upgrade relations" is mainly due to its disillusionment with China and the ascension of a more hawkish view toward China in the Trump administration, said Denny Roy, a fellow at the East-West Center think tank in Honolulu.

"Hence a few moves to loosen the previous self-limitations by Washington in its relationship with Taiwan," said Roy. </s> TAIPEI—Taiwan’s small handful of diplomatic partners has gotten a little smaller, with the African nation of São Tomé and Príncipe severing formal relations amid a campaign by China to pressure the rival government in Taipei.

The move, which Taipei confirmed Wednesday after a decision by São Tomé’s government, will have little direct impact on Taiwan. São Tomé has long been a recipient of economic aid, and two-way trade last year... </s> China’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday welcomed the decision by the African island nation of Sao Tome and Principe to break ties with Taiwan.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying did not mention any potential links between the tiny nation and Beijing, but offered appreciation for Sao Tome and Principe’s “return to the right track.”

“China is ready to develop friendly and cooperative relations with all countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and the one-China principle,’’ she said.

According to Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sao Tome and Principe recently asked Taipei for up to $100 million to cover financial shortfalls. Taiwan turned down the request, the ministry said, leading to an ending of relations.

“It’s indeed a significant amount of financial assistance to a country with the population of 150,000,’’ Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lee said.

Starting Wednesday, Taiwan will retreat from the West African country, withdrawing its embassy and technical personnel, Lee said.

When asked by reporters if Taiwan was concerned about a domino effect of countries severing their ties with Taiwan and instead adhering to China’s “One-China’’ policy, Lee said China is currently Taiwan’s largest trading partner and Taiwan is one of the largest investors in China.

The island nation has its own currency, passport and flag and is represented overseas by de facto embassies known as Taipei Economic and Cultural Offices.

The self-governing island has held democratic elections for decades and competes in international sporting competitions under the moniker Chinese Taipei.

Wednesday’s decision by Sao Tome and Principe left Taiwan with diplomatic ties to only 21 states, including the Vatican.

The number has been declining since 1979, when the U.S. established official diplomatic ties with the government in Beijing instead of Taipei.

In November 2013, another West African nation, Gambia, also removed itself from the list of countries that officially recognise Taiwan. </s> OUAGADOUGOU/TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan lost its second diplomatic ally in less than a month on Thursday when Burkina Faso said it had cut ties with the self-ruled island, following intense Chinese pressure on African countries to break with what it regards as a wayward province.

Flags of Taiwan (2nd-R) and Burkina Faso (R) are seen inside the Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taipei, Taiwan May 24, 2018. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

Taiwan now has only one diplomatic ally left in Africa – the tiny kingdom of Swaziland - and formal relations with just 18 countries worldwide, many of them poor nations in Central America and the Pacific like Belize and Nauru.

The Burkinabe foreign ministry’s statement made no direct mention of China, but said “the evolution of the world and the socio-economic challenges of our country and region push us to reconsider our position”.

Speaking at a hastily arranged news conference in Taipei, President Tsai Ing-wen said Taiwan would not engage in “dollar diplomacy” and denounced Beijing’s methods.

“China toys with dollar diplomacy and promises huge sums of money to entice many countries to build relations,” Tsai said.

“I want to emphasise again that China’s pressure will only lead to Taiwan’s ties with its partners in the international community getting closer. We will not cower at all.”

Taiwan has accused China of luring its friends away with offers of generous aid packages. China denies this, and says Taiwan is a part of China with no right to formal diplomatic ties with any other country.

Speaking shortly before the president, Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said he had offered his resignation to her.

Wu said that Taiwan cannot compete with China’s financial resources.

“I along with our country’s people feel sad, angry and regretful,” he said.

“China grabbing our allies and giving us pressure in the diplomatic space will not shrink the distance across the (Taiwan) strait and will not let cross-strait relations walk on a peaceful, friendly path.”

The finance ministry said it would immediately end its aid programs in Burkina and that Taiwan would close its embassy there.

China’s foreign ministry said in a brief statement it welcomed Burkina to “join in China-Africa friendly cooperation as soon as possible”.

GROWING HOSTILITY

Taiwan is China’s most sensitive territorial issue.

China’s hostility to Taiwan has grown since Tsai’s election as president in 2016, as Beijing fears she wishes to push for the island’s formal independence, a red line for China. She says she wants to maintain the status quo.

China is Africa’s largest trade partner, with massive investments in mining, construction and banking, though it has been less active to date in Burkina.

China is hosting a summit of African leaders in September in Beijing, where it will likely offer new pledges of aid and preferential loans.

In March, China said it was in the best interests of Taiwan’s allies to recognize an “irresistible trend” and ditch Taipei in favor of “one China” ruled by Beijing.

Burkina is the fourth country to cut ties with Taiwan since Tsai came to office, following the Dominican Republic, Sao Tome and Principe and Panama.

The Vatican is possibly next, as the Holy See and China edge closer to an accord on the appointment of bishops there.

Taiwan says the Republic of China, its official name, is a sovereign country with the right to develop relations with other countries.

Slideshow (2 Images)

Some countries have switched back and forth between Beijing and Taipei several times.

This is the second time Burkina has cut ties with Taiwan. It last did so in 1973, before resuming relations with Taipei in 1994. </s> TAIWAN on Wednesday accused China of using Sao Tome and Principe's financial woes to push its "one China" policy after the West African state ended ties with the self-ruled island, with Taiwan saying that China's action would not help relations across the Taiwan Strait. </s> China's claim to Taiwan have shot back into the spotlight since U.S. President-elect Donald Trump broke diplomatic protocol and spoke with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen this month, angering Beijing.

Trump has also questioned the "one China" policy which the United States has followed since establishing relations with Beijing in 1979, under which the United States acknowledges that Taiwan is part of China.

The election of Tsai from the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party this year infuriated Beijing, which suspects she wants to push for the island's formal independence, though she says she wants to maintain peace with China.

Taiwan Foreign Minister David Lee said Taipei would not engage in "dollar diplomacy" after Sao Tome's decision.

"We think the Beijing government should not use Sao Tome's financing black hole ... as an opportunity to push its 'one China' principle," Lee told a news conference in Taipei on Wednesday.

"This behaviour is not helpful to a smooth cross-Strait relationship."

Tsai held emergency meetings with cabinet officials and security advisers on Wednesday, and told her ministers:

"Foreign diplomacy is not a zero-sum game," according to her office spokesman, Alex Huang.

Tsai's office said in a statement China's use of Sao Tome's financial woes to push its "one China" policy would harm stability across the Taiwan Strait.

"This is absolutely not beneficial to the long-term development of cross-Strait relations," it said.

China says Taiwan has no right to diplomatic recognition as it is part of China, and the issue is an extremely sensitive one for Beijing.

In Beijing, China welcomed Sao Tome's decision, without explicitly saying it had established formal relations with the former Portuguese colony or making any mention of a request for financial aid.

"We have noted the statement from the government of Sao Tome and Principe on the 20th to break so-called 'diplomatic' ties with Taiwan. China expresses appreciation of this, and welcomes Sao Tome back onto the correct path of the 'one China' principle," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying declined to comment when asked when the two countries may exchange ambassadors, and dismissed a question on how much China may have offered Sao Tome to switch ties as being "very imaginative".

Defeated Nationalist forces fled to Taiwan at the end of a civil war in 1949 and Beijing has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control.

In Africa, only Burkina Faso and Swaziland now maintain formal ties with Taiwan. President Tsai will visit Central American allies Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador next month.

"We now have 21 allies left. We must cherish them," Lee said.

China and Taiwan had for years tried to poach each other's allies, often dangling generous aid packages in front of developing nations.

But they began an unofficial diplomatic truce after signing a series of landmark trade and economic agreements in 2008 following the election of the China-friendly Ma Ying-jeou as Taiwan's president.

Sao Tome and Principe's tiny island economy is heavily dependent on cocoa exports but its position in the middle of the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea has raised interest in its potential as a possible oil and gas producer.

Diplomatic sources in Beijing have previously said Sao Tome was likely high on China's list of countries to lure away from Taiwan.

In 2013, Sao Tome said China planned to open a trade mission to promote projects there, 16 years after it broke off relations over Sao Tome's diplomatic recognition of Taiwan. </s> Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Now only 21 countries in the world maintain official ties with Taiwan

The government of Sao Tome and Principe has cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan, officials said.

China welcomed the decision by the African island nation saying it was "back onto the correct path of the One China principle".

Taiwan's foreign ministry condemned the move, alleging Sao tome demanded a huge amount of financial support.

The "One China" principle insists that there is only one China in the world and that Taiwan is a part of it.

The move comes just over a week after comments by US president-elect Donald Trump that the US did not have to abide by the One China policy - the diplomatic acknowledgement by the US of the One China principle.

The move means only 21 countries and governments, including Swaziland and Guatemala, still maintain official ties with Taiwan.

'Astronomical financial help'

Sao Tome suspended ties with China in 1997, after choosing to officially recognise Taiwan.

Any country that wants diplomatic relations with mainland Beijing must break official ties with Taipei, leading to Taiwan's diplomatic isolation from the international community.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Sao Tome and Principe ex-President Fradique (r), accompanied by then Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian

Taiwanese Foreign Minister David Lee alleged on Wednesday that Sao Tome was demanding "an astronomical amount of financial help," without providing further details.

"We think the Beijing government should not use Sao Tome's financing black hole ... as an opportunity to push its 'One China' principle," Mr Lee said on Wednesday.

"This behaviour is not helpful to a smooth cross-strait relationship."

China has not said whether it will now establish diplomatic ties with the West African state. </s> BEIJING (AP) — China said Friday that the U.S. should not allow an ongoing visit by Taiwan’s president to New York and that it would impose sanctions on American companies that sell arms to the self-governing island as part of an expected $2.2 billion deal.

President Tsai Ing-wen is in New York on a two-night “transit” stop en route to an official visit to four Caribbean nations. She was scheduled to deliver a speech to a U.S.-Taiwan business summit and attend a dinner with members of the Taiwanese-American community.

“We urge the U.S. to abide by the ‘one China’ principle and … not allow Tsai Ing-wen’s stopover, cease official exchanges with Taiwan and refrain from providing any platform for separatist Taiwan independence forces,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a daily briefing.

In a separate statement on the foreign ministry’s website, Geng announced sanctions on companies involved in the arms deal, which he said “undermines China’s sovereignty and national security.” The four-sentence statement did not provide any details about the sanctions.

The Trump administration said Tuesday that it is proposing a $2.2 billion sale that would include 108 Abrams tanks and 250 Stinger surface-to-air missiles. The tanks represent a significant upgrade to Taiwan’s aging fleet.

Taiwan split from China during a civil war in 1949, and Tsai has resisted Chinese pressure for reunification under the “one country, two systems” framework that governs Hong Kong.

The United States recognizes Beijing as the government of China, but provides military and other support to Taiwan. China objects to such support as an interference in what it considers its internal affairs.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, on a visit to Hungary, said his country has grave concern about Tsai’s U.S. visits. She is scheduled to make another two-night stop on her way home.

She is visiting Haiti, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and St. Lucia on a 12-day trip. The island nations are among the few countries that recognize Taiwan instead of China.

Before departing, Tsai said Thursday that she wants to share the values of democracy and perseverance with Taiwan’s friends.

“Our democracy has not come easily and now is facing the threat and technological penetration of foreign forces,” she said, in a veiled reference to China.

Copyright © 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
São Tomé and Príncipe breaks relations with the island country of Taiwan.