China and Djibouti reaffirmed their support for Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity on Thursday, explicitly opposing any attempt to grant international diplomatic recognition to the breakaway region of Somaliland. The joint statement was issued following talks in Beijing between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Djiboutian counterpart, Abdoulkader Houssein Omar, according to a statement released after the meeting .
“Both sides firmly support Somalia in safeguarding its national sovereignty and territorial integrity, oppose any attempt to gain ‘diplomatic recognition’ for Somaliland,” the joint statement read. The two governments further reiterated that Somaliland is “an inseparable part of the Federal Republic of Somalia” and opposed its recognition as an independent entity . Notably, the statement also expressed opposition to “any form of collusion between Somaliland and the Taiwan authorities,” linking the unrecognized region’s diplomatic pursuits to China’s core concerns regarding the one-China principle .
The diplomatic development comes amid heightened regional tensions following Israel’s decision last December to become the first UN member state to formally recognize Somaliland as an independent state. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the recognition on December 26, 2025, stating that Israel intended to immediately expand cooperation in agriculture, health, and technology, while Somaliland’s president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, hailed it as a “historic moment” . The move prompted immediate condemnation from Somalia, which described it as a “deliberate attack” on its sovereignty, as well as from Djibouti, Egypt, Turkey, and the African Union .
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 following the collapse of the Siad Barre regime, but has never secured broad international recognition. Despite operating as a de facto independent entity with its own currency, passports, police force, and elected government, the region remains internationally regarded as part of Somalia . The African Union has maintained a firm position against recognition, with its Peace and Security Council stating that no actor has the authority to alter the territorial configuration of an AU member state and that such declarations are “null, void, and without legal effect under international law” .
The joint China-Djibouti statement also underscored Beijing’s longstanding opposition to Somaliland’s separate diplomatic outreach, particularly its engagement with Taiwan. Somaliland has maintained an official representative office with Taiwan since 2020, a relationship that China has repeatedly condemned as a violation of the one-China principle . The Chinese Embassy in Somalia previously stated that “Somaliland is a part of Somalia’s territory” and firmly opposed any official interaction between Somaliland and Taiwan under any name or pretext .
Djibouti’s alignment with China on this issue carries particular regional weight, given its shared border with Somaliland and its close economic and political ties with Somalia. The joint declaration reinforces diplomatic support for Somalia’s internationally recognized borders as the debate over Somaliland’s status continues to evolve, with Hargeisa actively courting international partners—including a high-profile presidential visit to Washington in September 2026—in its long-running campaign for recognition .
