Key Facts

• Taiwan confirmed that Somalia has banned travellers with Taiwanese passports from entering the East African nation.
• The travel ban started due to an order from Somali aviation authorities.
• The ban happened as Taiwan is trying to improve its relationship with Somaliland, a region that separated from Somalia 34 years ago but isn't recognized worldwide.
• In 2020, both Somaliland and Taiwan built embassies in each other's capitals. This upset both China and Somalia.
• Somali's civil aviation authority issued a notice to airlines that Taiwanese passports aren't valid for entry or transit through Somalia from April 30.
• Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly protested the travel restriction and asked the Somali government to cancel the notice.
• Neither Somaliland nor Somalia has spoken out about the ban.
• China expresses its approval of the ban. It appreciates Somalia's firm adherence to the "one-China principle," where China insists Taiwan is part of its territory.