MOSCOW (Sputnik) — According to the BBC broadcaster, the diplomatic shift comes after Taiwan's Foreign Ministry announced earlier on Wednesday that Sao Tome had asked Taiwan for "an astronomical amount" of financial support without apparent reason.
21 December 2016, 06:19 GMT
While Taiwan condemned the African island’s actions, China has hailed the decision as a step back onto "the correct path" of the "one China" policy, the broadcaster added.
Since 1949, Beijing has viewed the self-ruled democratic island of Taiwan as a breakaway province. Many countries recognize China and Taiwan as one nation under the "one China" policy. Sao Tome and Principe initially cut ties with China by abandoning the "one China" policy in 1997.
