TAIPEI, Taiwan—Taiwan opened a new diplomatic outpost in Africa on Aug. 17 in the capital of Somaliland, the island’s newest ally.
He called it a “historic moment,” adding that “Somaliland and Taiwan and its allies [have] a common principle and values of democracy, sovereignty, peace, human rights and aiming for a better tomorrow.”
Taiwan’s new representative office comes amid the Chinese regime’s efforts to isolate the self-ruled island from the international community by prying away the island’s diplomatic allies. Beijing sees the island as a part of its territory and thus seeks to diminish its status as a sovereign state.
Since 2016, Taiwan has lost seven diplomatic partners to Beijing: Kiribati, the Solomon Islands, Sao Tome and Principe, Panama, Burkina Faso, the Dominican Republic, and El Salvador.
Taiwan has 15 remaining diplomatic allies, with its only ally in Africa being Eswatini.
“Great to see #Taiwan stepping up its engagement in East #Africa in a time of such tremendous need. #Taiwan is a great partner in health, education, technical assistance, and more!,” NSC wrote.
Somaliland, located in the larger Horn of Africa region, has a population of about 3.9 million. Since declaring its independence in 1991, it has yet to be recognized by any foreign government.
On July 6, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian accused Taiwan’s ruling party, the Democratic Progressive Party, of “staging separatist activities in the international arena,” over the island’s inking of ties with Somaliland.
Bihi also rejected the delegation’s request to sever ties with Taiwan, according to the Somaliland Chronicle.
“The @WHNSC reiterates Taiwan’s good companionship with the #US & has encouraged to the rest of the #world to become friends with such a reliable & like-minded country,” Haji wrote.
He added: “#Somaliland became the first like-minded country in the East & the Horn of Africa that relied on #Taiwan.”
“While a developing bilateral relationship likely will not amount to much economically or militarily, it could show how the [current president] Tsai Ing-wen government may choose to navigate the next four years diplomatically by finding unlikely new partners that are not as beholden to China or the international community,” Shattuck wrote.
He concluded: “At the very least, it is a change in tempo for Taiwan’s diplomatic fortunes since 2016.”