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The US House committee’s call comes as Somalilanders hope that the incoming Trump administration will improve their chances of international recognition.

An influential US-China subcommittee in the US House of Representatives is calling for the State Department to open a representative office in Somaliland to counter rising Chinese influence in the region.

“Such a move is critical for advancing US strategic interests in the Horn of Africa and countering the growing influence” of China, wrote John Moolenaar, chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, in a letter dated Jan. 15 and addressed to outgoing Secretary of State Antony Blinken. “Without US engagement [China] may succeed in shifting Somaliland’s interests in its favor, further consolidating its influence in the Red Sea and beyond,” it said.

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The United States, along with the rest of the international community, does not recognize Somaliland as a country. Last month Semafor reported that Somaliland will be much closer to being recognized by the US as the world’s newest country when Donald Trump returns to the White House.

US House Committee Calls for Somaliland Office to Counter China
Tiksa Negeri/File Photo/Reuters

While foreign affairs committees often send letters to the State Department, this one has significance because it has moved discussions around the future of Somaliland into the much more potent US-China sphere, said Cameron Hudson, an analyst with the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “If the Somaliland issue is embraced by China-hawks to push back against China’s influence then that is a serious departure from past discussions and increases the likelihood that it will be actively pursued,” he said.

The call comes as Somalilanders, who restored their independence in 1991, are hoping that the incoming Trump administration will greatly improve their chances of international recognition with support from the US. Several of Trump’s incoming Africa officials have been publicly much more willing to consider some form of recognition for the state of 4 million people.

US House Committee Calls for Somaliland Office to Counter ChinaSomaliland is strategically located in geopolitical and trade terms with key global military and shipping interests in the region that could help the US counter China. In particular, the Bab-el Mandeb strait in the Gulf of Aden between Somaliland’s Berbera port, Djibouti, and Yemen is widely seen as a critical shipping choke point for moving goods and military wares in the sub-region.


Yinka Adegoke


About the Select Committee on the CCP

The Select Committee on the Chinese Communist PartyThe Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party is committed to working on a bipartisan basis to build consensus on the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party and develop a plan of action to defend the American people, our economy, and our values.

Follow the committee on X @committeeonccp

Committee Members

Chairman: John R. Moolenaar from Michigan (MI-02). (X: @RepMoolenaar)

US House Committee Calls for Somaliland Office to Counter ChinaRanking Member: Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois (IL-08). (X: @CongressmanRaja)

US House Committee Calls for Somaliland Office to Counter ChinaRepublican Members include:

  1. Robert J. Wittman (VA-01)
  2. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03)
  3. Andy Barr (KY-06)
  4. Dan Newhouse (WA-04)
  5. Darin LaHood (IL-16)
  6. Neal P. Dunn (FL-02)
  7. Jim Banks (IN-03)
  8. Dusty Johnson (SD)
  9. Michelle Steel (CA-45)
  10. Ashley Hinson (IA-02)
  11. Carlos A. Gimenez (FL-28)
  12. Ben Cline (VA-06)

US House Committee Calls for Somaliland Office to Counter ChinaDemocratic Members include:

  1. Kathy Castor (FL-14)
  2. André Carson (IN-07)
  3. Seth Moulton (MA-06)
  4. Ro Khanna (CA-17)
  5. Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11)
  6. Haley M. Stevens (MI-11)
  7. Jake Auchincloss (MA-04)
  8. Ritchie Torres (NY-15)
  9. Shontel M. Brown (OH-11)

About Chairman John Moolenaar

John MoolenaarChairman John Moolenaar is a Congressman representing Michigan’s Second Congressional District and currently chairs the House Select Committee focused on U.S. competition with China. As a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, he is committed to ensuring the federal government is accountable to taxpayers and advocates for fiscal responsibility, aiming to improve the economy for families and seniors in Michigan.

Moolenaar serves on several subcommittees addressing agriculture, health services, and financial governance. He has proposed legislation to enhance veteran services, improve internet access in rural areas, and elevate care for seniors. He is also the Co-Chair of the School Choice Caucus, promoting parental rights and educational options across the country.

With a background in chemistry and extensive leadership experience in both private and public sectors—including prior roles in the Michigan House and Senate—Moolenaar holds a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard. He and his wife, Amy, have six children and two grandchildren, and they have raised their family in Michigan.

Follow him in X @RepMoolenaar