SAO TOME ENDS TIES OVER US$210 MILLION AID REQUEST|要求2.1億美元金援遭拒 聖多美與我斷交

First story today, Taiwan and Sao Tome and Principe have decided to end their diplomatic relationship. Late on Dec. 20, the ROC Ministry of Foreign Affairs heard the news that Sao Tome may sever ties with Taiwan and held an emergency press conference on the morning of Dec. 21. The reason for the break was cited as Sao Tome having asked for a large amount of financial aid. The figure is said to be a staggering 210 million US dollars, which Taiwan rejected. The west african nation then decided to end the 19 year diplomatic relationship. On Dec. 21, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the ROC would break off the diplomatic relationship with Sao Tome and Principe. This is the first diplomatic ally to break with the ROC since President Tsai Ing-wen took office. ==DAVID LEE Minister of Foreign Affairs== To maintain our national dignity, we have decided to terminate diplomatic relations with Sao Tome and Principe, close the embassy, recall technicians and halt all bilateral cooperation programs. Sao Tome is situated in central west Africa by the Guinea Gulf, consisting of the island of Sao Tome and Principe and nearby reefs and islands. It has a population of about 150,000, its main export is cocoa, and is classified as an under-developed country. After establishing diplomatic relations in 1997, the ROC actively promoted bilateral cooperation in infrastructure, including medical care, education and agriculture, and successfully assisted in the eradication of malaria. However, after 19 years of diplomatic relations, the country requested a large amount of money from the ROC, said to be US$210 million. MOFA said it does not want to undertake financial diplomacy, and so Sao Tome decided to sever relations. ==DAVID LEE Minister of Foreign Affairs== Sao Tome asked us for an astronomical amount of aid, but as we all know, we do not want to engage in financial diplomacy and we were unwilling to play money games. ==REPORTER== President, are you worried about an avalanche of breaking diplomatic relations? President, do think China did this deliberately? President Tsai did not make any direct comment on the issue until after a cross departmental meeting, when the Presidential Office issued a statement. ==ALEX HUANG Presidential Office spokesperson== Our relations are based on the diplomatic principle of equality and mutual benefit, there is no necessity to compete with China in financial diplomacy. MOFA confirmed that in 2014, Sao Tomes had planned to forge relations with Beijing and at that time the Presidential Office had called on Beijing not to use Sao Tome's financial crisis to play on the one China principle and undermine cross strait relations. The ROC now has 21 official diplomatic allies. TRANSLATED BY：CLARE LEAR 外交部上午證實，我國確定中止與聖多美普林西比共和國的外交關係，而這也是蔡總統上任以來，第一個與我國斷交的國家。 ==外交部長 李大維== 基於維護國家尊嚴 我國決定自即日起終止與 聖多美普林西比共和國的外交關係 並且撤離大使館 技術人員 以及停止一切雙邊的合作計畫 聖多美普林西比位於非洲中西部幾內亞灣，由聖多美島、普林西比島和附近的礁、嶼組成，人口約15萬，主要出口可可、屬於低度開發國家。1997年與我國建交後，我國積極推動雙邊合作，包括醫療、教育、農業等基礎建設，並成功協助根除瘧疾，但沒想到長達19年邦交關係，卻因聖國財務缺口過大，外傳要求2.1億美元的金援、但我國外交部不願進行金錢外交，最後聖國決定與我斷交。 ==外交部長 李大維== 聖國方面曾經提過一個天文數字 但是我們大家都曉得 我們目前的踏實外交 我們是不願意做金錢遊戲 ==記者== 總統會不會擔心雪崩式斷交 總統 陸方現在宣布是故意的嗎 總統蔡英文上午參加一場新南向政策論壇時，並沒有直接發表看法。而是在中午召開各相關部會的因應會議，會後作出裁示。 ==總統府發言人 黃重諺== 本於平等互惠 互利共榮的踏實外交原則 台灣沒有必要在外交場域 與中國大陸進行金錢競逐 外交部證實聖國在2014年就曾經企圖與北京建交，總統府則呼籲北京不應藉著聖國財政危機、趁勢操縱一中原則，破壞兩岸關係。而目前與聖國斷交後，我國在非洲友邦國家僅剩下布吉納法索與史瓦濟蘭，邦交國總數也只剩下21國。 記者 王柏文 陳信隆 台北報導