China slams Taiwan's Tsai Ing-wen for opening office in self-declared country Somaliland

China on Tuesday August 18 slammed Taiwan government for officially opening a representative office in Somaliland. Terming establishment of representative office as a 'farce', China said Somaliland’s status as an independent country has t been obtained Internationally.

On Monday, August 17, Taiwan has officially opened its representative office in Somaliland, after holding talks for over six months with latter,  Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) declared. Taiwan and Somaliland - a self-declared East African state signed a technical cooperation agreement at ceremony and former will soon send a technical mission to Hargeisa to work on different projects, ministry said.

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China slams Taiwan on opening representative office in Somaliland

Meanwhile, China mocked Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen for bragging about opening  representative office in Africa. "Taiwan’s DPP authorities cooperated with Somaliland in East Africa and std a farce of establishing a so-called 'representative office' each or, but Somaliland’s status as an independent country has t been obtained Internationally, this move by both sides was criticized by many parties inside and outside island", a Chinese publication said in its report.

"Among many oppositions, DPP authorities still went ir own way. On 17th, so-called Taiwan Representative Office in Somaliland was established. leer of DPP authorities, Tsai Ing-wen, also boasted that this was an 'important moment in bilateral relations', which triggered a flogging of public opinion", report said criticising Taiwan government.

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Friendship based on common values of freedom

 opening ceremony of representative office was led by Taiwan's chief envoy in Somaliland Lou Chen-hwa and Somaliland's foreign minister Yasin Hagi Mohamoud, with members of foreign missions in Somaliland, MOFA informed. A pre-recorded congratulatory mess by President Tsai Ing-wen was played and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu delivered his remarks live via a video call during ceremony, according to MOFA. Tsai's in her video mess said friendship between Taiwan and Somaliland is based on common values of freedom, democracy, justice and rule of law.

Last month Taiwan and Somaliland h anunced to establish representative offices in each or’s countries, after signing a treaty in Taipei in February. Currently, Taiwan maintains diplomatic ties with 15 only countries, with Eswatini being its only partner in Africa. Somaliland, which is on Horn of Africa and has a population of nearly 3.9 million. It is t recognized as a country by international community and seeks to expand its reach in a part of world where it has little influence.

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