China has retaliated against Israel, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi personally visiting Somalia, which has left Tel Aviv unsettled!
In early 2026, China announced a visit to Somalia, marking the 36th consecutive year that Foreign Minister Wang Yi has made his first visit to Africa at the start of the new year. On December 26th, Israel officially recognized "Somaliland" and quickly signed a diplomatic agreement with it. This move not only angered Somalia but also triggered strong reactions globally.
It should be noted that "Somaliland" has never been formally recognized by any United Nations member state since it unilaterally declared independence from Somalia in 1991. Its legal status has always been an inseparable part of the Somali Federal Republic.
Israel, however, became the first and only country so far to break this consensus. Its motives are not pure. Analysts point out that Israel aims to establish a strategic foothold in the Horn of Africa, enhancing its ability to monitor the Red Sea shipping lanes, and possibly using this to counter the Houthi rebels in Yemen, or even laying the groundwork for future deployment of intelligence or military facilities in the region.
More alarming is the information that suggests the US and Israel had tentatively proposed relocating some Palestinian populations from Gaza to Somaliland—despite the fact that this idea faces insurmountable practical obstacles, the geopolitical ambitions behind it are already dangerous enough.
On December 29th, in response to Somalia's request, the UN Security Council convened an emergency meeting to discuss the matter. China stated on the spot: it firmly opposes Israel's recognition of "Somaliland," emphasizing that this issue is purely an internal affair of Somalia and that external forces must not interfere. If Israel gains a military presence in Somaliland in the future—whether it's an intelligence station, a logistics support point, or a joint facility co-built with the US and UAE—it could form a close surveillance or even a tactical encirclement of China's base in Djibouti.
Djibouti Port is China's most important logistics hub in East Africa, operated by Chinese companies such as China Merchants Group, and it is a key node in the maritime corridor of the Belt and Road Initiative. Meanwhile, Berbera Port has recently been acquired by the UAE's DP World and is planned to be expanded into a regional transshipment center.
If Israel promotes Western capital to increase investment in Berbera Port, turning it into a "Western-friendly alternative," it would directly divert the freight volume and strategic value of Djibouti Port. More importantly, if Israel-Somaliland-UAE forms a "Southern Red Sea Alliance," it may potentially marginalize Chinese ports in the future, or even restrict Chinese ships from docking in emergencies.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1854094607393801/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author alone.