In response, Kayd two days later described Somaliland as independent and said China shouldn\u2019t interfere with the ties between the two regions.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were born free and we will stay free. We will run our business the way we want. China cannot dictate,\u201d he\u00a0told reporters<\/a>.<\/p>\n Somaliland<\/a>\u00a0is a self-declared state in the Horn of Africa. It split from Somalia in 1991, but has little recognition in the international community, as its attempts to get recognition have been\u00a0largely ignored<\/a>. The African Union contends that Somaliland only become independent\u00a0with Somalia\u2019s consent<\/a>.<\/p>\n Somaliland has been peaceful since it broke away from Somalia, which in contrast has gone through three decades of civil war. The two were also initially not part of the same territory for a long time before independence, with present-day Somalia being in the Italian Somaliland protectorate and present-day Somaliland being in the British Somaliland protectorate.<\/p>\n The region has been trying to establish economic and political ties with countries around the world.<\/p>\n This latest attempt, with Taiwan, has ruffled feathers. Like Somaliland, Taiwan is muddled in its own sovereignty issues. Taiwan\u00a0views itself as a\u00a0sovereign\u00a0state but\u00a0China considers it a breakaway province and its own territory. Also similarly with Somaliland, Taiwan is diplomatically isolated.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China,\u201d Zhao, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, said, referring to the country\u2019s \u201cOne China\u201d policy.<\/p>\n All African Union member states, apart from Eswatini, follow the policy.<\/p>\n Contact between Somaliland and Taiwan is significant for the two regions because it gives them a sense of recognition, says Ovigwe Eguegu, a geopolitical analyst at Development Reimagined, an African-led international development consultancy with headquarters in\u00a0China<\/a>.<\/p>\n For Somaliland, Taiwan could be a major ally in courting countries that are supportive of Taiwan to also support Somaliland\u2019s quest for recognition, he adds, while Somaliland also hopes to attract investments from Taiwan-based companies to support its development.<\/p>\n \u201cThese are of course worthy ambitions, but they may not lead to the international changes both are aiming for,\u201d says Eguegu.<\/p>\nWhere is Somaliland?<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nSomaliland-Taiwan relationship provides a sense of recognition<\/h3>\n