Connecting to remote (webfaction) MySQL DB fails from local PHP - Could not connect to the MySQL server: The server requested authentication method umknown to the client

I run a wordpress installation with MySQL DB on webfaction. I cloned the WP and DB to a local instance (using a plugin called duplicator, works fine locally).

Now I want to connect the local instance of wordpress to the remote production DB via these steps:

1. Setup Tunnel for port 3306 on localhost as described here
2. Change wp-config.php to match remote credentials link

The tunnel and credentials must work because connecting with the mysql client works:

PS C:\xampp\mysql\bin> .\mysql.exe -u b2blogin_veodin_ -D b2blogin_veodin_ -p

Unfortunately calling Wordpress fails:

Error establishing a database connection

I used this script to test the database connection from PHP, which produces a slighty more elaborate error:

Could not connect to the MySQL server: The server requested authentication method umknown to the client

Also when I try to connect with a local phpmyadmin (changed credentials):

'#2054 - The server requested authentication method umknown to the client

I googled for while and suspect this might be related to the different PHP versions or Apache configuration. Here are the phpinfos form the remote server and the local

I would be very grateful for pointers.