China’s top diplomat has postponed a planned visit to Somalia that would have marked the first trip by a Chinese foreign minister to the country in decades, Somali officials said Friday, as Beijing continues a wider Africa tour focused on trade and strategic ties.
Somalia’s foreign affairs ministry said Wang Yi delayed the Mogadishu stop without giving a reason or a new date. The visit had been expected to carry symbolic weight for Somalia at a moment of diplomatic strain and shifting regional dynamics.
Wang’s trip would have been the first by a Chinese foreign minister to Somalia since the 1980s, according to Somali officials. It was also seen as a potential boost for Mogadishu following Israel’s recent recognition of Somaliland, the northern region that declared independence in 1991 but is not internationally recognized by Somalia.
Somalia’s relations with the United States have also cooled. Earlier this week, Washington said it would pause assistance that directly benefits the Somali government amid a dispute over the demolition of a World Food Programme warehouse.
Read Also: 17 Rescued As Indian Navy Captures Ship From Somali Pirates
Officials at Somalia’s foreign ministry told Reuters that details on the postponement and any rescheduled visit would be announced later. China’s foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment.
The Somalia delay comes as Wang carries out his annual New Year visit to Africa, a long standing diplomatic tradition that underscores Beijing’s focus on the continent. The current trip centers on expanding trade access and safeguarding shipping routes and resource supply lines across East and Southern Africa.
Wang arrived in Tanzania on Friday for a two day working visit, the country’s foreign ministry said in a post on X. The visit aims to strengthen bilateral relations and deepen economic cooperation between the two nations.
Earlier in the week, Wang met Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in Addis Ababa, where he called for closer cooperation with one of Africa’s fastest growing economies. The discussions included infrastructure development, green industry, and the digital economy, according to Chinese state media.