Somalia Reaffirms Strategic Partnership with China at 77th Anniversary Reception

Mogadishu, (SONNA) — The Acting President of the Federal Republic of Somalia and Speaker of the House of the People, H.E. Abdulqadir Mohamed Nur (Jaamac), attended a reception in Mogadishu marking the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, bringing together Ministers, Members of Parliament, senior government officials, ambassadors and diplomatic representatives, as well as officials from the United Nations, European Union, African Union and other international partners.

In his remarks, the Acting President congratulated the people and Government of China on the anniversary and highlighted the longstanding friendship between Somalia and China, emphasizing that the relationship is founded on friendship, cooperation and mutual respect. He underscored the importance of further strengthening bilateral and parliamentary cooperation in areas including education, technology, institutional development, trade, peace and security.

The Speaker of the Senate, H.E. Abdi Hashi Abdullahi, emphasized the importance of Somalia-China relations and called for stronger ties between the two countries. He also highlighted the value of learning from China’s development experience as Somalia continues its efforts to advance national development.

The Chinese Ambassador to Somalia, H.E. Wang Yu, highlighted the longstanding nature of bilateral relations, noting: “Over the past six decades, China and Somalia have been standing together through thick and thin, supporting each other, engaging in sincere cooperation and pursuing common development.”

The Minister of Defence, H.E. Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, said Somalia highly values its longstanding friendship and strategic partnership with China, describing the relationship as being founded on “mutual respect, sovereign equality and shared interests.”

Ambassador Wang Yu also reaffirmed China’s position on Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, stating: “Both sides have been supporting each other on matters concerning their respective core interests and major concerns. China firmly supports Somalia’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.”

Somali students who have studied in China also spoke to the media during the event, highlighting the close and longstanding relations between the two countries and the growing role of Chinese support in Somalia’s education sector. They noted that educational exchanges and opportunities to study in China have contributed to strengthening people-to-people ties and expanding knowledge and skills among Somali students.

The reception underscored the depth of Somalia-China relations and the two countries’ continued commitment to strengthening cooperation across development, education, trade, security, institutional capacity and other areas of mutual interest.