The nearest point to Doklam is Kupup. , Photo credit: The Hindu
On Friday, January 13, 2022, officials from China and Bhutan agreed to “push forward” a three-stage roadmap as an expert group meeting in the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming.
A joint release said the two sides “had an in-depth exchange of views on implementing the MoU on a three-stage roadmap.” Speeding up China-Bhutan boundary talksand reached a positive consensus.
A Bhutanese delegation led by Dasho Letho Tobden Tangbi, Secretary for the International Border of Bhutan, met a Chinese delegation led by Hong Liang, Director-General of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from Tuesday to Friday.
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The two sides agreed to “simultaneously advance the implementation of all phases of the three-stage roadmap” as well as “increase the frequency of expert group meetings and maintain contact through diplomatic channels on holding the 25th round of the China-Bhutan border demarcation”. let agreed.” talks as soon as possible”, the release said.
After the talks, both sides held a handover ceremony for the Chinese donation of supplies.
In October 2021, Bhutan and China signed an agreement on a “three-stage roadmap to accelerate Bhutan-China boundary talks”. Bhutan’s Foreign Ministry said the MoU on a three-stage roadmap “will give a new impetus to the boundary talks.”
Since the inception of the process in 1984, 11 expert group meetings and 24 rounds of talks have taken place.
The 24 rounds of talks have largely focused on the two areas of dispute – Doklam and the areas near the India-China-Bhutan trijunction along Bhutan’s western borders and the Jakarlung and Pasmalung valleys along Bhutan’s northern borders .
However, China has recently appeared to broaden the scope of the dispute by including the Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary, which borders the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, along Bhutan’s eastern borders. The Chinese Foreign Ministry later referred to the disputes as “Western, Central and Eastern” sections.
Some observers saw in the West a tactic to pressure Bhutan into accepting China’s earlier reported offer of an exchange of Doklam, which Beijing saw as a strategic exchange for Bhutan retaining its northern territories. Looks like
The western sector, measuring 269 sq km, is a sensitive area of dispute given its proximity to India, especially after the 2017 standoff between Indian and Chinese troops at Doklam. Since the standoff, China has increased its military presence in the disputed plateau.
The Jakarlung and Pasmalung valleys along Bhutan’s northern borders with Tibet cover an area of 495 km².
Beijing has recently launched an infrastructure push in Tibet to build “jiaokang” (moderately affluent) frontier villages to establish civilian settlements in areas including disputed areas along the Tibet–Bhutan border.