China–Somalia relations
China |
Somalia |
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China–Somalia relations are the bilateral relations between China and Somalia. Somalia maintains an embassy in Beijing. China has an embassy in Mogadishu. It is led by Ambassador Fei Shengchao.[1]
History
Somalia and China have a long relations in terms of trade, military, culture and language.[2]
Middle Ages
Relations between Somalia and China long predate the Middle Ages. Through trade, the peoples of both areas established good relations.
Cold War era
Somali Democratic Government (1960 - 1969)
On 30 June 1960, Foreign Minister Chen Yi announced the recognition of the Somali Republic by the People's Republic of China.[5] Official relations between the Somali and Chinese governments were established on 14 December 1960.[6]: 346 Somalia and China later signed their first official trade agreement in June 1963.[7]
During the
Somali Democratic Republic 1969-1991
By 1971, Chinese economic aid to Somalia far exceeded the Soviet Union.[10]
When the Somali government expelled Soviet representatives in late 1977, China agreed to take over many of the development projects started by them.[11] The Chinese government declared Somalia's decision to expel the Soviets as marking a, "another important victory in the struggle against hegemonism"[10]
In the late 1970s the Chinese carried out and completed what was considered their second most ambitious project in Sub-Saharan Africa known as "The Somali North-South Road". The PRC also became involved in the construction of hospitals, factories and further extended large loans to Somalia.[12]
Present-day
Somali Civil War
In January 1991, the Chinese embassy in Mogadishu closed down operations due to the start of the civil war in Somalia.[13] Despite the departure of most Chinese officials, the two countries maintained a small trading relationship in the ensuing years. Total trade volume in 2002 was US$3.39 million, with Somalia exporting US$1.56 million of goods to China and importing $1.83 million.[14]
From 2000 to 2011, approximately seven Chinese development projects were launched in Somalia.[15] These initiatives included $6 million in economic assistance,[16] donation of anti-malaria drugs,[17] and $3 million in debt relief.[18]
2010s
Following the establishment of the Federal Government of Somalia in mid-2012, the Chinese authorities reaffirmed their support for the Somali government and called on the international community to strengthen its commitment to the Somali peace process. China's Permanent Representative to the UN, Li Baodong, also emphasized his administration's support for the Somali federal government's stabilization plan, including the latter's efforts at "implementing an interim Constitution, carrying out its six-point plan, strengthening institutional capacity, exercising government functions and extending effective authority over all its national territory."[19]
In August 2013, follow a meeting with Chinese Vice Premier
In June 2014, during the Arab-China Summit in
2020s
In July 2020, Somaliland established relations with Taiwan which also included the opening of representative offices in their respective countries.[25][26] In response, the Chinese foreign ministry claimed that Taiwan aimed to "“undermine Somalia's sovereignty and territorial integrity" and it opposes the two entities establishing ties.[25][26]
Human rights
In July 2019, UN ambassadors of 37 countries, including Somalia, have signed a joint letter to the
In June 2020, Somalia was one of 53 countries that backed the Hong Kong national security law at the United Nations.[28]
Agreements
In July 2007, the Chinese state-owned oil company
In September 2013, both governments signed an official cooperation agreement in Mogadishu as part of a five-year national recovery plan in Somalia. The pact will see the Chinese authorities reconstruct several major infrastructural landmarks in the Somali capital and elsewhere, including the National Theatre, a hospital, and the Mogadishu Stadium, as well as the road between Galkayo and Burao in northern Somalia. Additionally, Chinese ambassador Liu Guangyoun indicated that China would re-open its embassy in Mogadishu on land that had been donated for the purpose by the Somali government.[30]
In April 2015, Foreign Minister of Somalia
List of Somali Ambassadors to China
Name | Appointed | Recalled | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Ahmed Mohamed Darman | ? | 1975? | [32] |
Mohamed Hassan Said | 1988 | 2005[A] | [33][34] |
Mohamed Ahmed Awil | 2005 | 2011 | [35] |
Yusuf Hassan Ibrahim | 2010 | - | [36] |
Transitional Federal Government appointed a replacement in 2005.
|
See also
References
- ^ "Chinese Ambassador to Somalia Fei Shengchao Meets with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud". www.mfa.gov.cn. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
- ^ Colour, confusion and concessions: the history of the Chinese in South Africa, 2005, Melanie Yap,Dianne Leong Man, page 3
- ^ East Africa and its Invaders pg.37
- ^ Zheng He's voyages down the western seas - Page 42, 福建省新闻办公室
- ^ "CHINA RECOGNIZES REPUBLIC OF SOMALI". DAILY REPORT: Foreign Radio Broadcasts. 60 (128). Foreign Broadcast Information Service: 13. 1 July 1960 – via Readex.
- ISBN 978-0-231-21001-0.
- ^ "Somalia to Trade With China". The New York Times. 1963-06-09. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
- ^ Ssekandi, Ronald (30 January 2013). "Somali FM hails Somalia-China relations". Xinhua. Archived from the original on 6 February 2013. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
- ^ Schwartz, Harry (1964-09-06). "Communists Competing in Africa". The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
- ^ – via Taylor & Francis Online.
- ^ "Chinese to Increase Aid to Somalia". The Washington Post. 1987-04-21. Archived from the original on 2011-05-24. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
- JSTOR 484371– via JSTOR.
- ^ Chinese Foreign Ministry (October 10, 2006). "FOCAC Beijing Summit: Somali".
- ^ "China and Somalia". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China. 2003-10-12. Retrieved 2007-06-11.
- ^ Austin Strange, Bradley C. Parks, Michael J. Tierney, Andreas Fuchs, Axel Dreher, and Vijaya Ramachandran. 2013. China’s Development Finance to Africa: A Media-Based Approach to Data Collection. CGD Working Paper 323. Washington DC: Center for Global Development.[1]
- ^ Strange, Parks, Tierney, Fuchs, Dreher, and Ramachandran, China’s Development Finance to Africa: A Media-Based Approach to Data Collection.http://aiddatachina.org/projects/2285
- ^ Strange, Parks, Tierney, Fuchs, Dreher, and Ramachandran, China’s Development Finance to Africa: A Media-Based Approach to Data Collection.http://aiddatachina.org/projects/28502
- ^ Strange, Parks, Tierney, Fuchs, Dreher, and Ramachandran, China’s Development Finance to Africa: A Media-Based Approach to Data Collection.http://aiddatachina.org/projects/2284
- ^ "China calls on international community to continue advancing Somalia peace process". Xinhua. 7 June 2013. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
- ^ "Somalia: Chinese Vice Premier Meets Somali Counterpart". Shabelle Media Network. 27 August 2013. Archived from the original on 10 September 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
- ^ "Foreign affairs minister meets his Chinese counterpart". Goobjoog. 6 June 2014. Archived from the original on 7 June 2014. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
- ^ "China to reopen Somalia embassy, sees strong ties". Reuters. 20 June 2014. Archived from the original on 7 July 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
- ^ "China reopens embassy in Somalia". Shanghai Business Review. 3 July 2014. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
- ^ "SOMALIA: China officially opens embassy in Somalia today". Raxanreeb. 12 October 2014. Archived from the original on 26 December 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
- ^ a b "Taiwan-China Diplomatic Competition Comes to Somaliland | Voice of America - English". www.voanews.com. Retrieved 2020-10-15.
- ^ ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2020-10-15.
- ^ "Which Countries Are For or Against China's Xinjiang Policies?". The Diplomat. 15 July 2019.
- ^ Lawler, Dave (2 July 2020). "The 53 countries supporting China's crackdown on Hong Kong". Axios. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
- ^ Jopson, Barney (2007-07-13). "Somalia oil deal for China". Financial Times. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
- ^ "Somalia: Gov't, China Officially Sign Cooperation Agreement". Dalsan Radio. 9 September 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
- ^ "China donates $13 million to Somalia". Horseed Media. 1 April 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- ^ Bush, George H. W. (2008). Jeffrey A. Engel (ed.). The China Diary of George H. W. Bush: The Making of a Global President. Princeton University Press. p. 382.
- ^ Richburg, Keith B. (December 17, 1996). "When It's Diplomatic to Do Nothing". The Washington Post. p. A15.
- ISBN 9781857432541.
- ^ "Somalia's new China envoy sweeps away the cobwebs". Reuters. June 13, 2006.
- ^ Hussein, Mohammed Omar (June 11, 2010). "Somalia: Ministers decision regarding the appointment of new ambassador to China". Archived from the original on February 26, 2011. Retrieved May 14, 2014.