On September 21, 2017 local time, Foreign Minister Wang Yi met at request with Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire of Somalia on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Hassan Ali Khaire expressed that Somalia and China enjoy a traditional friendship, and the Somali people always remember China's support and assistance for the country's independence and development. The Somali new government gets support from the majority of its people, and devotes itself to safeguarding national stability, promoting economic development and stepping on a revitalization road. Somalia highly values China's international status and its important role in promoting Africa's development, hopes Chinese enterprises to invest in Somalia and help the country to carry out infrastructure construction, develop economy and create employment. Somalia supports the “Belt and Road” initiative and hopes that the country will give play to its geographical location advantage and play a unique role in the joint construction of the “Belt and Road”.

Wang Yi said that both countries enjoy a time-honored friendship, and China was one of the countries that firstly recognized Somalia's independence and Somalia was the first country in East Africa to establish diplomatic relations with China. China has always supported Somalia in preserving its national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, and supports peace and reconstruction process in the country. With authorization of the UN resolutions, China has deployed its navy fleets to carry out escort missions in the waters off Somalia, which has positively contributed to maintaining security there. Somalia has been in turmoil for too long, and urgently needs a peaceful and stable environment. China supports the new Somali government in leading its people to embark on a peaceful development path at an early date. China is willing to cooperate with Somalia in various fields and help Somalia preserve peace, develop its economy and improve its people's livelihood so as to continuously strengthen its self-development skills through bilateral channel, China–Africa Cooperation Forum and China-Arab States Cooperation Forum.