A new U.S. congressional report accuses China of working to block Somaliland’s international recognition as it strengthens ties with Taiwan, highlighting Somaliland’s growing strategic role in U.S.–China rivalry in the Horn of Africa
Washington – A newly released U.S. congressional report on strategic competition with China has placed Somaliland at the center of an emerging geopolitical contest, accusing Beijing of actively working to undermine the territory’s international standing and prevent progress toward global recognition.
The 745-page 2025 Annual Report to Congress by the U.S.–China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) assesses how China is expanding its influence across Africa while attempting to marginalize Taiwan and block what it describes as “democratic footholds” near strategically vital maritime corridors.
The report identifies Somaliland — a self-declared republic since 1991 — as an increasingly important node in that rivalry because of its location along the Gulf of Aden, its political stability relative to Somalia, and its growing ties with Taiwan.
“China backed Somalia’s sovereignty claims to counter the emergence of a democratic foothold with proximity to the Gulf of Aden and its Djibouti base,” the Commission wrote, referring explicitly to Somaliland.
Somaliland emerges as a strategic flashpoint
The USCC report, submitted to the 119th U.S. Congress, notes that renewed calls within Washington and Taipei for Somaliland’s recognition have elevated its strategic profile, particularly given its proximity to major international shipping lanes linking the Red Sea, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Indian Ocean.
“Amid renewed calls in Taiwan and the United States for Somaliland’s independence,” the report states, “China backed Somalia’s sovereignty claims to counter the emergence of a democratic foothold with proximity to the Gulf of Aden and its Djibouti base.”
Although Somaliland has not been recognized by the United Nations or major global powers, the report highlights that it maintains official relations with Taiwan — a move that has drawn sharp opposition from Beijing, which considers Taiwan an inseparable part of China.
Taiwan–Somaliland cooperation draws Beijing’s ire
The report singles out the expanding relationship between Hargeisa and Taipei as a central trigger for China’s diplomatic intervention. In particular, it references the July 2025 coast guard cooperation agreement between Somaliland and Taiwan, describing it as a “significant development” in maritime security and democratic engagement in the Horn of Africa.
“Despite efforts from China to deter their relationship, Taiwan and Somaliland signed a landmark deal in July 2025 that included a coast guard cooperation agreement,” the report notes.
According to the Commission, China responded by stepping up diplomatic pressure in Mogadishu and supporting Somali measures aimed at restricting Taiwan’s footprint in the region.
The report states that Beijing “successfully pressured” African governments into taking steps to hinder Taiwan’s access, citing Somalia’s decision to deny visas and border access to Taiwanese passport holders.
China backs Somalia’s sovereignty claims
In one of its clearest statements on the issue, the Commission wrote that China has taken “forceful” steps to support Somalia’s territorial claims over Somaliland and counter U.S. political support for Hargeisa.
In August 2025, China’s Embassy in Somalia publicly condemned U.S. Senator Ted Cruz for calling on the Trump administration to recognize Somaliland, the report says.
Beijing described such calls as interference in Somalia’s internal affairs and reiterated that questions of sovereignty should be resolved under what it termed “international law,” while again asserting that Taiwan is “an inalienable part of China’s territory.”
China also dispatched its Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, Xue Bing, to Mogadishu to reaffirm Beijing’s support for Somalia’s position, according to the report.
A growing chorus in Washington
While no U.S. administration has formally recognized Somaliland, the USCC noted a growing policy debate in Washington about its strategic value — particularly in countering China’s expanding Red Sea and African presence.
The Commission describes Somaliland as having:
- A comparatively stronger economy than Somalia
- A record of internal stability
- Control over a coastline on one of the world’s most important maritime corridors
It argues that these factors make Somaliland “a magnet for great power competition” and an increasingly relevant actor in U.S. strategic calculations.
The Commission also frames its rise in importance within the context of China’s broader efforts to dominate critical mineral supply chains and expand its influence over emerging space and maritime infrastructure in Africa.
Somaliland at the crossroads of global competition
The report ultimately positions Somaliland as an emerging strategic hub at the intersection of U.S., Chinese and Taiwanese interests — and increasingly, a terrain of geopolitical competition involving other powers.
It concludes that Somaliland’s growing diplomatic, security and economic profile has made it “a strategically important node in global competition for resources, regional security architecture and influence over key maritime trade routes.”
While it stops short of endorsing formal recognition, the report notes that recognition of Somaliland is viewed by some American policymakers as “economically and strategically beneficial” for the United States and its allies.
