Taiwan has seemingly become the first country to welcome Israel’s recognition of Somaliland.
Israel on Friday became the first country in the world to recognize the breakaway Somalian region as an independent state, drawing widespread condemnation from countries backing Mogadishu.
In a statement, the foreign ministry in Taipei says Israel, Somaliland and Taiwan are “like-minded democratic partners sharing the values of democracy, freedom, and rule of law,” according to the Focus Taiwan news site.
Israel enjoys friendly relations with Taiwan and strong trade ties, though the relationship is largely informal due to Israel’s diplomatic ties with the People’s Republic of China.
According to Focus Taiwan, Taipei and Somaliland have fostered bilateral relations for several years, and in 2020 opened reciprocal representative offices in each other’s capitals.
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