His Excellency the Vice President of the Republic of Somaliland, Abdirahman Abdullahi Zeili’i, received, Tuesday, at his office the visiting Chinese Ambassador to Somaliland/Somalia, Mr. Wei Hongtian.
According to a brief statement which the Presidency Secretary for Media and official spokesperson, Hussein A Eggeh, gave the press after the meeting, the two sides talked of issues of mutual interest which included how the two countries could further strengthen bilateral relations.
The Spokesman revealed that His Excellency the Vice President raised the issue of a more pronounced economic relations on the part of China with Somaliland.
“This republic has been on its own for the past twenty-five years during which it had reconstructed its country from the ashes of war to bring to be a politically and economically stable, democratic nation that has become a beacon of peace and stability in a volatile region,” the Vice President was reported to have told the visiting Ambassador.
The Vice President emphasized that the country’s primary priority was its economic development and that it looked forward to heightened, mutually beneficial relations with the Republic of China.
Mr. Eggeh said Ambassador Hongtian declared that he was here for China and wherever China saw its interest decided the kind of relations to be established regardless of the other sides’ diplomatic or political status – a statement which alluded to the absence of diplomatic recognition for the Republic of Somaliland.
The Ambassador assured the Vice President that he will spare no effort to bring over Chinese investors to Somaliland in due time.
The Ambassador, who had been on visit to Somaliland for some days now, has visited the main water supply depot of the Somaliland capital, Hargeisa, which China had built as part of an assistance package to the then Democratic Republic of Somalia some forty years ago at Geed Deeble on the outskirts of the city.
The Somali-speaking Ambassador (a.k.a. Warsameh) also paid a fact-finding visit to the Red Sea port of Berbera which has recently attracted the attention of the internationally acclaimed ports manager, DP World.
On Sunday, ministry of Foreign Affairs officials gave a warm welcome to the Chinese Ambassador Wei Hongtian during his recent visit to the Ministry, according to the official Facebook page of the ministry.
The Chinese Ambassador thanked the Ministry for the reception and declared his commitment to improve relations between #China and #Somaliland. The Chinese Ambassador is set to visit a number of areas in Somaliland including Berbera port and the water system in #Hargeisa, which was originally installed by China. He also intends to meet with the vibrant Chinese business community in Somaliland.
The State Minister Mohamed Boqoreh said: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to welcome you to Somaliland and hope that it will be the first of many such visits. Somaliland and China share a very warm and positive relationship and I hope our meeting will allow us to renew and expand upon our historic ties. I know you are renowned as a person with a deep knowledge and appreciation of Somali culture and your visit to us is a testament to your interest and a concern for the people of Somaliland. ”
The two sides discussed efforts to boost trade, infrastructure and development links between China and Somaliland. It is hoped that the visit of the Ambassador marks a new era in relations between the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Somaliland.
