By Mohamed Abdi - Reporter
Beijing, 12 January 2026 The issue of Israel’s recognition of Somaliland will be high on the agenda of the forthcoming China–Arab States Summit, amid intensified diplomatic coordination between Beijing and Mogadishu to address the political and regional repercussions of the move.
According to Chinese state media, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi extended an invitation to Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to attend the second China–Arab States Summit during a phone call with Somali Foreign Minister Abdisalam Abdi Ali.
Reports said the summit, scheduled to be held in China later this year, will address regional security developments and the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, with particular focus on the impact of Israel’s recognition of Somaliland on stability in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region.
During the call, Wang reaffirmed China’s commitment to a consistent policy of friendship toward Somalia “regardless of changes in the international landscape,” underscoring Beijing’s support for the positions of developing countries in multilateral forums.
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For his part, the Somali foreign minister reiterated Somalia’s adherence to the “one-China” principle and expressed Mogadishu’s readiness to deepen cooperation with Beijing in political, security, and defence fields, as the Somali government seeks broader Arab and international support against any challenge to the country’s unity.
These diplomatic efforts come as Somaliland intensifies its own outreach to enhance its international profile, including through unofficial ties with Taiwan—moves Mogadishu views as a direct challenge to its sovereignty.
Somalia currently holds the rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council for January, a role that Beijing has pledged to support as part of wider coordination with Arab and African partners ahead of the summit.
