China unites with Somalia against growing Taiwanese-Somaliland ties
- Friendship between the two largely unrecognised governments is regarded by Beijing as a threat to its strategic interests in the Horn of Africa
- Somalia’s foreign minister promises Beijing that Mogadishu will resist Taipei’s relationship with breakaway Somaliland
When China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke with his counterpart in Somalia on Monday, they had a common mission – to resist Taiwanese inroads into what the Horn of Africa nation considers its territory.
They both want an end to the Taiwanese-Somaliland relationship, which Wang said threatened “the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity” of China and Somalia.
During the phone call, Somali Foreign Minister Abdisaid Muse Ali promised to push back against the self-ruled island’s relationship with Somaliland, which split from Somalia three decades ago and set up mutual representative offices with Taipei in 2020.
“Somalia opposes the collusion between Taiwan and Somaliland, which violates the sovereignty of Somalia, and will continue its strategic and practical cooperation with China,” Abdisaid said.
Somaliland is diplomatically isolated like Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of its territory. Only eSwatini – previously Swaziland – now recognises Taipei in Africa.
Somaliland has set up representative offices in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, Britain and the US in a bid to win international support for its full recognition.
