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Thimphu

Demons of Doklam

The China-Bhutan territorial dispute brought China face-to-face with India. Is there an end to this dispute or will the bordering nations engage in another round of disagreements?

By Muhammad Omar Iftikhar | March 2023

China and Bhutan have agreed to a consensus to execute their agreement to expedite negotiations to resolve their border dispute. This will include a three-step roadmap. Discussions and debates were held during the 11th Expert Group Meeting (EGM) on the China-Bhutan Boundary Issues from January 10-13, 2023. It was held in Kunming City, China. On the geographical front, Bhutan shares a 477 km long border with China. Both countries have already held over twenty rounds of talks to settle this dispute.

China and Bhutan do not have diplomatic relations. However, they maintain goodwill and relationship methods through periodic visits. In May 2020, China began an extensive campaign to claim its territory in the Himalayas which also includes Bhutan. Since the 1950s, China has been claiming Bhutan’s land. China claimed an area near Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary.

There are two perspectives with which we can analyze the China-Bhutan claim. First, China is punishing the disputed areas of Bhutan for their alliance with India. Dorji Penjore, the head of the Centre for Bhutan and Gross National Happiness Studies, wrote a research paper titled ‘Security of Bhutan: Walking Between the Giants.’ He says, “The Sino-Bhutan border dispute is not so much a contest over territory as it is of China’s desire to punish Bhutan for allying with its regional rival, India.” The second perspective could signal at China putting pressure on India on the geopolitical front.

China’s demand for Bhutan’s land is part of its ambition to pressure Bhutan to enter into a deal. Chinese authorities said, “China-Bhutan boundary has never been delimited and there have been disputes over the eastern, central, and western sections for a long time, cautioning third party to refrain from stepping into the breach.”

China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) encroached into the Doklam plateau, which is part of Bhutan. This standoff went on for nearly 72 days. New Delhi will be cautious of every decision that China will take concerning Bhutan. India would need to know the implementation timelines and their possible implications. China is seeking control over Chumbi Valley. It is envisioning building its railway line from Lhansa Yatung closer to Sikkim. The Eastern Army Command is ready to defend Bhutanese territory in case of aggression arising from the India-Bhutan agreements.


Where China is claiming Bhutan’s territory, India is actively engaged in Bhutan’s economic development. Bhutan’s hydroelectric development through Tala, Chuka, and Wangchu hydro projects is assisted by India. Moreover, Bhutan receives nearly half of its external revenue by selling electricity to India. Furthermore, India and Bhutan enjoy cultural linkages since the Buddhist era.

If China has a strong expansionist plan to control Bhutan, India is eyeing to prevent China from acquiring any land in Bhutan, “There are only two disputed areas raised in 24 boundary talks since 1984 agreed to by both sides with signed minutes (269 sq km in west and 495 sq km in northcentral Bhutan). The Chinese never brought this up in the boundary talks. So there is no dispute in Eastern Bhutan.” He further added, “This eastern sector is very much Bhutanese with a large Bhutanese population and traditional dzongs (medieval fortresses) and two Bhutanese districts since time immemorial,” says Tenzing Lamsang, editor of ‘The Bhutanese’ newspaper.

China has been pursuing its plan to build a settlement along the disputed border with Bhutan. These include two-storey buildings. Reuters reported that over 200 structures are under construction. Such construction has been going on since 2020. According to China’s foreign ministry, “The construction is entirely for the improvement of the working and living conditions of the local people. It is within China’s sovereignty to carry out normal construction activities on its own territory.”

According to Robert Barnett, a professorial research associate at the SOAS University of London, “China’s village building across the claimed Bhutan border appears to be designed to force Bhutan to yield to Chinese demands in their border negotiations, now in their 24th round after 37 years.”

The border dispute between China and Bhutan has been an on-going tussle for over four decades. The concerns for territorial integrity outweigh the security implications for India that it wants to diffuse.

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