On Friday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a joint press release, saying that Bhutan and China held an expert discussion on border issues on Wednesday and Thursday.
Overview
The two sides held the 12th Expert Group Meeting in Thimphu, Bhutan, which saw the participation of Hong Liang, Director-General of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China. Meanwhile, Bhutan was represented by a delegation team led by Letho Tobdhen Tangbi, the Secretary of the International Boundaries of Bhutan.
According to the Chinese release, the meeting concluded with a “positive consensus,” which was a result of “frank and constructive discussions” that sought to implement the “Three-Step Roadmap.”
China and Bhutan signed the “Three-Step Roadmap” in 2021 during a virtual conference between their foreign ministers, seeking to “speed up the negotiation on demarcation and promote the process of establishing diplomatic ties between the two countries.”
They supported the roadmap and vowed to reconvene for discussions in Beijing.
12th Expert Group Meeting (EGM) on the Bhutan-China Boundary Issue hold meeting in Thimphu. "2 sides also agreed to hold the 25th Round of Bhutan-China Boundary Talks as soon as possible at mutually convenient dates", says a joint statement. pic.twitter.com/rGMZezOizW
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) May 26, 2023
The delegations agreed to hold the 25th Round of China-Bhutan Boundary Talks on “mutually convenient dates.”
Bhutan-China Boundary Issues
Bhutan and China have historically disagreed on the exact positioning of their 470-kilometre border. For instance, in May 2021, Foreign Policy published a report saying that China has been gradually invading Bhutanese territory, and had constructed a town, roads, power plant, military and police outposts, and other infrastructure up to 8 kilometres into Bhutanese territory.
JOINT PRESS RELEASE ON THE 12TH EXPERT GROUP MEETING ON THE CHINA-BHUTAN BOUNDARY ISSUES https://t.co/7xcJFsbOZJ pic.twitter.com/XRbAiRdeyw
— Embassy of The People's Republic of China in India (@China_Amb_India) May 26, 2023
In fact, in November 2020, satellite images taken by US-based operator Maxar Technologies showed the development of a new village by China along the contested Himalayan border that it shares with India and Bhutan.
China has often blamed India for the ongoing tiff between China and Bhutan. Experts cited by Chinese state-run Global Times said that the superpower’s border disputes with Bhutan were “very minor,” they “have not been formally demarcated because of India’s obstruction.”
For India, the issue is highly relevant because Article 2 of the 2007 treaty it signed with the landlocked nation makes it responsible for Bhutan’s defence, considering the small Asian nation’s limited defence capabilities.
However, in March, Bhutanese PM Lotay Tshering said that Bhutan does “not encounter major border problems with China,” but “certain territories are not yet demarcated,” for which they “still have to discuss” and “draw a line.”