China Still Pressurising Somaliland to Cut Ties with Taiwan

China is still pressuring Somaliland to cut off ties with Taiwan.

Yesterday, a new delegation directly from the Chinese Foreign Ministry office arrived in Hargeisa. China’s ambassador to Somalia, Qin Jian, has been in Somaliland five days prior to the arrival of the Chinese delegates.

The delegation from the African Department of the Ministry will reinforce the PRC’s ambassador to Somalia Qin Jian who has been in the capital city of Somaliland since on Saturday.

The newly-arrived three officials and the ambassador are scrambling to persuade President Bihi to cut off ties with Taiwan. 

Officials at the Somaliland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs have welcomed the three Chinese officials who came directly from Beijing.

Somaliland’s government is yet to comment on the possible meeting between the president and the Chinese delegation or its outcome.

Somaliland and Taiwan jointly announced that they will exchange diplomatic representatives last month.

Taiwan’s foreign minister Joseph Wu said in a statement on July 1 that the two governments have agreed to establish ties based on ‘friendship and shared commitment to common values of freedom, democracy, justice and the rule of law’. 

Since then, both countries have appointed representatives at each other’s capital. 

China swiftly moved into action with strong denunciation from China’s embassy in Somalia, stressing China’s sovereignty over Taiwan. 

China uses its global popularity to cut off Taiwan’s diplomatic relations, effectively reducing it to mere fifteen allies. One of China’s tactics in this regard is severing diplomatic ties with countries that recognise Taiwan. But Since China does not recognise the Republic of Somaliland as a sovereign state, the option of severing diplomatic ties with Somaliland simply does not exist. However, offering developmental aid is reported to be another of China’s preferred tactics, although no government official has confirmed this yet. 

The diplomatic relationship is a welcome breakthrough for Taiwan which has lost numerous allies in the past few years. On the other hand, many in Somaliland consider it a huge foreign affairs success that may lead to more breakthroughs.

Hargeisa is especially eyeing the United States which is a staunch ally of Taiwan and has given an approval stamp to the new diplomatic relationship.