São Tomé and Príncipe President Evaristo Carvalho has emphasised the importance of the restoration of diplomatic relations between his country and Mainland China, A Bola reports.

The Portuguese newspaper says Mr Carvalho did so in his New Year’s message to the people of his country, speaking about the matter in public for the first time since the restoring of diplomatic relations last month.

The report quotes Mr Carvalho as saying restoration of ties was important because of “the increasing and assertive role” of the Mainland in international affairs and the advantages that China offers developing countries.

China and São Tomé and Príncipe first established diplomatic relations in 1975, but São Tomé and Príncipe severed those ties in 1997 and instead forged diplomatic links with Taiwan.