The Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that it welcomes the decision of a central African country to cut "diplomatic ties" with Taiwan as the one-China policy is widely recognized worldwide.

"We have noticed that the government of the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe issued an announcement on Dec 20 (Tuesday) local time to cut the so-called 'diplomatic' relationship with Taiwan," spokeswoman Hua Chunying said, adding that China praises the move and welcomes the African country to "return to the right track of the one-China principle".

The one-China principle is related to China's core interests as well as the feelings of more than 1.3 billion Chinese people, and it is also the premise and political foundation for China's friendly ties with other countries, she said.

The one-China policy was challenged by US president-elect Donald Trump early this month, when he accepted a congratulatory phone call from Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen. He told Fox News two weeks later that he did not feel "bound by a one-China policy".

According to the No 2758 Resolution made the United Nations Assembly in 1971, the People's Republic of China is the only legitimate government to represent China. The one-China policy confirmed by the resolution has been the common consensus of international community, Hua said.

With a population of 193,000, the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe is the second-smallest African country after Seychelles. The country was founded in 1975 after its independence from Portugal.

It established diplomatic ties with China in July 1975, and Beijing cut the diplomat ties in 1997 after the African island country announced to build "diplomatic ties" with Taiwan.

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