Beijing (Somalia Today) — China on Monday condemned Israel’s decision to recognize the breakaway region of Somaliland as an independent state, calling it an inalienable part of Somalia. Beijing said the move runs counter to the UN Charter and international law, and urged outside powers to stop interfering in Somalia’s internal affairs.
At a regular foreign ministry press conference, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Beijing was “gravely concerned” and “firmly against” Israel’s recognition, and backed Somalia’s immediate rejection of the announcement.
Lin said regional organizations and countries had also condemned the move, citing the African Union, the Arab League, the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and IGAD.
Beijing’s position
China described the dispute as a sovereignty issue, citing the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law, and said Somaliland remains part of Somalia’s territory.
Lin warned against what he called “unwarranted interference,” and said no state should pursue “selfish interests” by supporting separatist movements elsewhere.
He also urged Somaliland’s authorities to end “separatist activities” and what he described as collusion with external forces.
China’s comments align with Mogadishu’s diplomatic pushback since Israel’s announcement. Beijing is a permanent member of the UN Security Council.
Israel said on December 26 that it had formally recognized the “Republic of Somaliland” as an “independent and sovereign state,” describing the move as the establishment of diplomatic relations and the launch of future cooperation.
In a statement posted by Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office, Israel said it would pursue cooperation across multiple sectors and presented the decision as a strategic step in its external relations.
Israel and Somaliland signed a declaration of mutual recognition and Somaliland committed to joining the Abraham Accords framework, a development Somaliland officials have described as a breakthrough after decades without formal recognition by UN member states.
Somalia’s federal government has rejected Israel’s recognition as unlawful and a direct challenge to the country’s territorial integrity, insisting Somaliland remains an inseparable part of Somalia.
Mogadishu’s foreign ministry also issued a cross-regional joint statement rejecting the recognition and warning that it could undermine stability in the Horn of Africa and the wider Red Sea corridor.
That statement also rejected attempts to link recognition to proposals involving the displacement of Palestinians.
International pushback
The African Union moved quickly to restate its position on Somalia’s borders. In a commission statement, the AU said it rejects any initiative to recognize Somaliland and described the region as an integral part of Somalia.
The Gulf Cooperation Council issued a similar message. In a GCC statement, Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi condemned Israel’s recognition and urged adherence to Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation said the move violated international law and reaffirmed support for Somalia’s unity in its own condemnation.
IGAD, the Horn of Africa regional bloc, also rejected unilateral recognition. In a statement posted by the IGAD Secretariat, it said Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are recognized under international law and warned that unilateral recognition runs contrary to the UN Charter, the AU Constitutive Act, and IGAD’s founding agreement.
The European Union also reiterated its position on Somalia’s territorial integrity. In a statement by the EU’s external action service, the bloc reaffirmed the importance of respecting Somalia’s unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, while encouraging dialogue between Somaliland and Somalia’s federal government.
South Africa also weighed in on December 29, calling Israel’s recognition a violation of Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and warning it could threaten stability in the Horn of Africa, according to a DIRCO statement.
Somaliland’s status
Somaliland declared independence in 1991 as Somalia collapsed into civil war. It has maintained its own governing institutions for decades.
However it has remained outside the international system because Somalia and most states have treated the territory as part of the federal republic.
The African Union has long emphasized preserving inherited borders and avoiding precedents that could encourage separatism elsewhere on the continent.
China echoed that principle on Monday, saying Israel’s recognition was incompatible with respect for state sovereignty and territorial integrity, and urging countries to refrain from steps it said could deepen regional tensions.
