Follow CGSP on Social Media

Listen to the CGSP Podcast

Which Way Somaliland: Taiwan or China?

by Eric Olander

Somaliland is the middle of a tense courtship between China and Taiwan, leading to conflicting signals about which way the self-declared nation in the Horn of Africa is leaning. On the one hand, if you follow the Twitter accounts of Mohamed Hagi, the newly arrived ambassador to Taipei, and the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, you’d likely think this is a done deal and that the two governments are moving ahead with diplomatic recognition.

Not surprisingly, the Chinese government is not going to just let this pass, given that Taiwan is viewed as a core strategic issue and Beijing works tirelessly to try and isolate the island it claims is a breakaway province.

Lead the Conversation on China

Subscribe Today to Get Full Access to The China-Global South Project

Check Out Everything You'll Get With Your Subscription

The China-Global South Daily Brief delivered to your inbox at 6AM Washington time

Full access to exclusive news and analysis from editors based in the Global South

Transcripts of CGSP’s twice-weekly podcasts

Students and teachers with a valid .edu email address are eligible for a 50% discount off monthly or yearly subscriptions. Email us to receive a discount code.

You Might Like

With an Eye on Annoying China, the U.S. National Security Council Praises Taiwan’s Outreach in East Africa

Just hours after Secretary Pompeo’s critical comments of the Chinese presence in Africa, the U.S. National Security Council followed up with a provocative tweet that praised Taiwan’s recent agreement with the ...

China’s Controversial Territorial Issues Gain Prominence in Beijing Diplomatic Engagement With African Stakeholders

China’s territorial issues related to Hong Kong, Taiwan, Xinjiang, and the South China Sea are becoming increasingly prominent topics of discussion when Chinese ambassadors engage with African governments and media. While these so-called ...

After a Setback in Honduras, Taiwan’s Diplomacy Gets a Small Boost in the South Pacific

The Fijian government allowed Taiwan to reinstate the old name of its representative office in the South Pacific island country to include its official moniker “The Republic of China.” While a simple name change ...

What is The China-Global South Project?

Independent

The China-Global South Project is passionately independent, non-partisan and does not advocate for any country, company or culture.

News

A carefully curated selection of the day’s most important China-Global South stories. Updated 24 hours a day by human editors. No bots, no algorithms.

Analysis

Diverse, often unconventional insights from scholars, analysts, journalists and a variety of stakeholders in the China-Global South discourse.

Networking

A unique professional network of China-Africa scholars, analysts, journalists and other practioners from around the world.

Subscribe