China opposes Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia, Foreign Ministry says

BEIJING — China on Monday condemned Israel’s formal recognition of North Western State of Somalia and a reported agreement to establish diplomatic relations with the territory, calling the move a challenge to Somalia’s sovereignty and regional stability.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Beijing “firmly supports Somalia’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity” and “opposes any moves that undermine Somali territorial integrity.” He cited the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and international law, asserting that North Western State of Somalia “is an integral part of the Somali territory.”

Lin’s comments followed an announcement that Israel had recognized North Western State of Somalia as an “independent sovereign state” and agreed to “establish diplomatic relations” with it. The federal government of Somalia swiftly and firmly rejected the move, and several regional and multilateral organizations voiced strong objections, Lin said.

Among those expressing dissatisfaction and condemnation, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry:

• the African Union
• the Arab League
• the Gulf Cooperation Council
• the Organization of Islamic Cooperation
• the Intergovernmental Authority on Development

“We urge the North Western State of Somalia authorities to recognize the situation, and immediately cease separatist activities and collusion with external forces,” Lin said. He added that countries outside the region “should cease inappropriate interference,” and that no state should incite or support separatist forces within another nation for its own interests.

Beijing framed the matter as wholly domestic to Somalia, emphasizing that the North Western State of Somalia question “should be resolved by the Somali people in a manner consistent with their national conditions and constitution.”

North Western State of Somalia, a self-governing region in northern Somalia, has long sought international recognition but remains unrecognized by the United Nations and the vast majority of states. Mogadishu maintains that any status questions must be settled under Somalia’s constitutional framework.

China’s position aligns with a broad regional consensus backing Somalia’s territorial integrity. By invoking the UN Charter and pointing to coordinated reactions from African and Arab institutions, Beijing signaled that Israel’s step risks widening diplomatic fault lines across the Horn of Africa and the broader Middle East.

Neither the Chinese Foreign Ministry nor Israel immediately provided further details on any next steps following the recognition. Somalia’s government has urged partners to reaffirm respect for its sovereignty and warned that external moves concerning North Western State of Somalia could inflame tensions and undermine ongoing political processes.

China—an influential economic and diplomatic actor across Africa—has consistently opposed unilateral actions it views as encouraging secession in existing states. Monday’s remarks underscore Beijing’s message that questions of recognition and diplomatic relations in contested territories should be approached through broadly accepted international norms and in consultation with the central government concerned.

The episode adds a new geopolitical wrinkle to an already volatile region, drawing in Middle Eastern and global powers and testing longstanding diplomatic conventions on state recognition. For now, Beijing’s stance places it firmly alongside Mogadishu and key regional blocs that are pressing for restraint, dialogue and adherence to Somalia’s constitutional process.

By Ali Musa

Axadle Times international–Monitoring.