Taiwan and Somaliland used Taiwan's National Day celebration in Hargeisa to reaffirm their partnership — a small but steady diplomatic win for Taipei as it looks for friends outside China's orbit.

• Taiwan's representative office in Somaliland hosted a National Day event drawing 120 guests, including Somaliland cabinet ministers and lawmakers.
• Both sides restated their shared commitment to democracy and said cooperation keeps growing.
• Taiwan pitched itself as a trusted partner while authoritarian powers expand, leaning on its central role in global chips and AI supply chains outside China.
• Joint projects now span public health, farming, tech, higher education, military security, oil exploration, critical minerals, fishing and aid.
• Taiwan has backed Somaliland's recent elections and funded Red Sea shipping-safety work, hoping to pull more countries toward the relationship.

Outlook: Expect Taipei to keep expanding practical projects in Somaliland as a template for winning support from countries that lack formal ties with it.