Beijing minimizes visit by president of Taipei 'ally'

Beijing downplayed reports on Wednesday about the visit by the president of Sao Tome and Principe, a "diplomatic ally" of Taiwan, saying people were reading too much into it.

According to media in Taiwan, the president of the African country recently visited Shanghai to attract investment. No official events were observed during the trip.

Taipei is nervous about the news, concerned that Sao Tome and Principe - an archipelago just north of the equator and about 250 km west of Gabon - will cut its "diplomatic" relations and turn to Beijing.