Newspapers today September 20th,2026

The Chinese Embassy in Somalia has rejected statements by Taiwan’s representative office in Somaliland disputing Beijing’s interpretation of Taiwan’s status and a 1971 United Nations resolution that transferred China’s UN seat to the People’s Republic of China.

In a statement issued Saturday, the embassy responded to claims by Taiwan’s office in Hargeisa that Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to one another and that UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 does not explicitly mention Taiwan.

The Chinese Embassy reiterated Beijing’s position that there is “but one China” and that Taiwan is part of Chinese territory, citing the 1943 Cairo Declaration and the 1945 Potsdam Proclamation as historical and legal grounds for its position.

Beijing also argued that the one-China principle formed the political foundation for Resolution 2758, which the UN General Assembly adopted on Oct. 25, 1971.

The resolution restored the rights of the People’s Republic of China at the United Nations, recognized representatives of its government as “the only legitimate representatives of China to the United Nations” and expelled the representatives of Chiang Kai-shek.

The resolution itself does not explicitly use the word “Taiwan,” a point cited by Taiwan in challenging Beijing’s interpretation of the measure. Beijing, however, maintains that the resolution resolved the question of China’s representation at the UN and rejects any interpretation that would allow separate international representation for Taiwan.

“The one-China principle is the premise and political foundation for UNGA Resolution 2758,” the embassy said, arguing that the measure established that there could not be “two Chinas” or “one China, one Taiwan.”

The embassy also said official UN documents after the adoption of the resolution referred to Taiwan as “Taiwan, Province of China.”

Taiwan maintains its own government, military and democratic political system and officially calls itself the Republic of China. Beijing considers the island part of China and has repeatedly opposed efforts by Taiwan to develop official diplomatic relations or participate separately in international organizations.

Taiwan and Somaliland established representative offices in each other’s capitals in 2020, developing cooperation in areas including health, agriculture, technology and education. Taiwan’s foreign ministry continues to list its representative office in Hargeisa as the “Taiwan Representative Office in the Republic of Somaliland.”

The latest statement comes three days after the Chinese Embassy criticized Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro over remarks on Taiwan during a visit to the United States. Beijing said his comments violated the one-China principle and reiterated its support for Somalia’s territorial integrity.

China recognizes Somalia’s sovereignty over Somaliland, while Somaliland has operated as a self-governing territory since declaring independence from Somalia in 1991.(hiiraan)