The United States Foreign Relations Senate Chair Jim Rische and other Taiwan-friendly lawmakers have offered harsh criticisms of Somalia, following the country’s decision to no longer recognize Taiwanese passports last week.

Almost two weeks ago, the Somali Civil Aviation Authority issued a statement that Taiwanese travel documents, including official passports, would no longer be allowed to enter or transit through Somalia, in accordance with the one-China principle and UN General Assembly Resolution 2758. The entry ban took effect last Wednesday, and Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry has continued to seek the support of friendly nations on the issue, alleging that Somalia was acting under pressure from China.

On Sunday May 4, local time, Jim Rische spoke out in support of Taiwan on official social media accounts. He also expressed his opinion that Somalia was “[bowing] to China’s unreasonable demands”. This act comes on the heels of actions by two other U.S. lawmakers, Representatives Tom Tiffany and Andy Ogles, who sent a jointly authored letter to the Somali Ambassador to the United States last Thursday. In the letter, the two expressed serious concern over the matter and warned of “serious retaliatory consequences” for the Somali government, and Somali residents of the United States.

Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry maintains that China is behind Somalia’s actions, claiming that in recent years, China has continued to distort and exaggerate the scope of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 to shrink Taiwan’s international presence. The resolution, adopted in 1971, recognizes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the sole legitimate representative of China at the UN – leading to Taiwan’s exclusion from the international body ever since.

Source: Radio Taiwan