Sao Tome and Principe switches diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China

The Western African island country of Sao Tome and Principe announced today it was terminating diplomatic relations with Taiwan and establishing relations with China. Foreign Minister David Lee denied speculation that the move was linked with the Tsai administration''s refusal to acknowledge the 1992 consensus. But he did suggest the African country was motivated by financial promises from China. The flag of Sao Tome and Principe no longer appears in the lineup of the flags of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies in the lobby of the Foreign Ministry. Foreign Minister David Lee said money was behind the African country’s decision to cut ties. David LeeForeign MinisterGiven the size of Sao Tome and Principe’s financial shortfall, Taiwan had no way to fulfill its needs, and so it disregarded its nearly 20-year alliance with Taiwan, playing both sides of the strait off against one another in an attempt to get a better deal. Reports suggest Sao Tome and Principe had previously requested US$210 billion in aid from Taiwan. Though Foreign Minister Lee didn’t confirm that number, he did say that the country had earlier submitted some outlandish requests to Taiwan for financial support.David LeeForeign MinisterSao Tome and Principe definitely brought up some astronomical figures (in one of their requests), but under our current approach of “steadfast diplomacy,” we weren’t willing to play these money games. Today at noon, President Tsai convened a high-level national security meeting in response to the incident. An official statement released after the meeting said that Taiwan didn’t need to use money to compete with China in diplomacy, and said that the Foreign Ministry would conduct a detailed review of the country’s existing aid arrangements with its diplomatic allies.