By NNN-PRESNA LATINA
Beijing : China broke off diplomatic relations with Saint Lucia because of the recent establishment of links between this Antillean Island and Taiwan.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said that step violated the declaration of 1997 where the diplomatic links between China and Saint Lucia were announced.
The document stated that the Chinese ambassador in Castries, capital of the small island, presented a formal protest to the government and announced suspension of links and withdrawal of all bilateral agreements.
The Chinese spokesman accused Taipei authorities recently of practicing paid diplomacy to make the countries recognize two Chinas or one China and one Taiwan.
The smallest island in the Lesser Antilles has 383 square miles and 170 thousand inhabitants.
Taiwan is an island of 22,369 square miles and 23 million inhabitants that has historically belonged to China so that Beijing considers recognition of Taiwan sovereignty as interference in its internal affairs.