China–Somalia relations

Sino-Somali relations

China	Somalia

China–Somalia relations refers to the bilateral relations between China and Somalia.

History

Exotic animals such as the giraffe caught and sold by Somali merchants were very popular in medieval China.

Somalia and China have a long relations in terms of trade, military, culture and language.^[1] The Somalis traded with the Ancient Shang and Zhou dynasties of China.

Middle Ages

Relations between Somalia and China long predate the Middle Ages. Through trade, the peoples of both areas established good relations. Giraffes, zebras and incense were exported to the Ming Empire of China, which established Somali merchants as leaders in the commerce between the Asia and the Horn of Africa,^[2] and in the process influenced the Chinese language with the Somali language and vice versa. The Chinese exported celadon wares, spices and muskets in return for horses, exotic animals and ivory. The prominent Hui-Chinese explorer, mariner, diplomat and fleet admiral, Zheng He, arrived in his fourth and fifth voyage to the Somali cities of Mogadishu, Zeila, Merca and Berbera.^[3] Sa'id of Mogadishu a Somali explorer travelled to China in the 14th century, when China was ruled by the Yuan Dynasty, and noted the trading communities of the Chinese ports and cities.

Cold war era

Official relations between the Somali and Chinese governments were established on 14 December 1960.^[4] Somalia and China later signed their first official trade agreement in June 1963.^[5]

During the Cold War period, the Somali government maintained active relations with its Chinese counterpart. The Somali authorities campaigned for an end to China's diplomatic isolation and supported instead its entry into the United Nations.^[6]

The Sino-Soviet split had a large influence on China's relations with countries in Africa. As early as 1964, Somalia was described as the first major center of Sino-Soviet rivalry on the continent.^[7] When the Somali side expelled Soviet representatives in late 1977, China agreed to take over many of the development projects started by them.^[8]

Present-day

In January 1991, the Chinese embassy in Mogadishu closed down operations due to the start of the civil war in Somalia.^[9] 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.^[4]

From 2000 to 2011, approximately seven Chinese development projects were launched in Somalia.^[10] These initiatives included $6 million in economic assistance,^[11] donation of anti-malaria drugs,^[12] and $3 million in debt relief.^[13]

In July 2007, the Chinese state-owned oil company CNOOC also signed an oil exploration agreement with the Somali government over the north-central Mudug province, situated in the autonomous Puntland region.^[14]

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."^[15]

In August 2013, follow a meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang, Somalia's Foreign Minister Fowziya Yusuf Haji Adan announced that the Somali authorities looked forward to cooperation with the Chinese government in the energy, infrastructure, national security and agriculture sectors, among others. Wang also praised the traditional friendship between both nations and re-affirmed China's commitment to the Somali peace process.^[16] 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 Somalian 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.^[17]

See also

• Foreign relations of China
• Foreign relations of Somalia

References

v t e Foreign relations of China   Bilateral relations Africa Algeria Angola Benin Botswana Burundi Cameroon Cape Verde Central African Republic Chad Comoros Congo, Democratic Republic of the Djibouti Egypt Eritrea Ethiopia Ghana Guinea-Bissau Kenya Lesotho Liberia Libya Malawi Mali Mauritius Mozambique Namibia Nigeria Sierra Leone Seychelles Somalia South Africa South Sudan Sudan Tanzania Togo Tunisia Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe Asia Afghanistan Azerbaijan Bangladesh Bhutan Burma Cambodia East Timor India Indonesia Iran Iraq Israel Japan Kazakhstan Korea, North Korea, South Kyrgyzstan Laos Malaysia Maldives Mongolia Nepal Pakistan Palestine Philippines Russia Saudi Arabia Singapore Sri Lanka Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Thailand Turkey United Arab Emirates Vietnam Yemen Europe Albania Belgium Bulgaria Czech Republic Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Ireland Italy Lithuania Luxembourg Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania Russia Serbia Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey Ukraine United Kingdom Vatican City North America Antigua and Barbuda Bahamas Barbados Canada Cuba Grenada Jamaica Mexico Trinidad and Tobago United States Oceania Australia Fiji Kiribati Micronesia New Zealand Niue Papua New Guinea Samoa Tonga Vanuatu South America Argentina Bolivia Brazil Peru Uruguay Venezuela   Multilateral relations Africa Arab League BRICS Caribbean China–Japan–South Korea European Union Latin America Oceania Third World   Diplomacy Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister of Foreign Affairs Diplomatic missions of / in China China and the United Nations Stadium diplomacy Panda diplomacy Theaters built as aid

v t e Foreign relations of Somalia Horn of Africa Djibouti Ethiopia Europe Denmark France Italy United Kingdom East Asia China Japan South Korea Arab world United Arab Emirates Yemen Other regions Kenya Pakistan Turkey United States Related topics Diplomatic missions of / in Somalia Somali passport