Office 'marks a new chapter in Taiwan-Somaliland relations': Taiwanese foreign minister
Taiwan News
Date: 2020/09/09
By: Teng Pei-ju, Taiwan News, Staff Reporter
Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (left) joins Somaliland’s representative Mohamed Hagi at plaque-unveiling. (CNA photo)
The plaque-unveiling ceremony for the Somaliland office was held on Wednesday morning in a building owned by Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but the office itself is located in a residential building in the capital. Mohamed Hagi, Somaliland's first envoy to Taiwan, declined to comment on the Chinese hostility seen since Taiwan and Somaliland pledged to strengthen ties in July.
“The bilateral accord between Somaliland and Taiwan is based on common values of freedom and democracy,” remarked Hagi, who arrived in early August to prepare for the new office. He stressed that the bilateral relationship upholds “mutual assistance that will never expose any harm whatsoever to the interests of other countries, but rather contributes to international peace and regional economic activities.”
Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) declared in July that Taiwan and Somaliland were establishing reciprocal representative offices as part of a treaty signed by the two governments to advance ties in a wide array of areas. The offices do not reflect diplomatic relations but are of a highly official nature, Wu stated at the time, adding that bilateral talks had commenced months ago. [FULL STORY]
