(TibetanReview.net, Oct24’23) – Echoing Bhutan’s recent remarks, China has said Oct 23 that it was willing to reach a settlement on its occupied-Tibet border issue with that country as soon as possible, paving the way for the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two counties. However, any settlement would be of serious concern to India if it involves Bhutan making territorial-exchange concessions to China on the Doklam border which lies at the tri-junction among it, Chinese occupied Tibet and India.
The Bhutan-China and Sino-India border disputes are both post Chinese occupation of Tibet phenomena with no previous histories behind them.
The Chinese remarks followed a meeting between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and Bhutanese Foreign Minister Tandi Dorji in Beijing on Oct 23. Tandi was in China to take part in China-Bhutan boundary talks.
Wang has said China and Bhutan enjoyed a profound traditional friendship. The conclusion of boundary negotiations and the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Bhutan fully serve the long-term and fundamental interests of the Bhutanese state and nation. China is, therefore, willing to work with Bhutan to meet each other halfway, seize the historical opportunity, complete this important process as soon as possible, and develop China-Bhutan friendly relations in legal form, China’s official globaltimes.cn Oct 23 cited Wang as saying.
The border between Chinese ruled Tibet and Bhutan is more than 600 kilometres long. Disputed areas are mainly located on Bhutan’s western and northern parts of the border, covering about 5,000 square kilometres, the report said, citing analysts.
China was previously said to be willing to give up claims in Bhutan’s northern area in exchange for the latter conceding Doklam to it. However, Bhutan has made it clear that the Doklam dispute involved India as well and therefore any settlement on it could only be with New Delhi’s participation and concurrence.
The Bhutan-China boundary negotiations started in 1984 and lasted for nearly 40 years before the two signed a memorandum of understanding on a Three-Step Roadmap in 2021.
The latest 13th Expert Group Meeting (EGM) on the China-Bhutan Boundary Issues was held in Beijing in Aug 2023, when Bhutan said the boundary issue could be settled in the next two or so sittings between the two side.
It was stated that both sides had agreed to expedite and take simultaneous steps to implement the Three-Step Road Map.
One of the important outcomes of the 13th EGM was the establishment of a Joint Technical Team on the Delimitation of China-Bhutan Boundary which held its first meeting on the sidelines of the 13th EGM.
On Oct 23, Tandi said that the relationship between Bhutan and China had traditionally been friendly, and thanked China for its strong support and assistance to his country, according to the report.
Tandi has said Bhutan firmly adhered to the one-China principle and echoed Wang in saying his country was willing to work together with China to strive for an early resolution of the border issue and promote the political process of establishing diplomatic relations.