To India’s discomfiture, China for border talks with Bhutan

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, July 6

To India’s discomfiture, China is signalling its desire to hold border talks with Bhutan by objecting to the funding of a wildlife sanctuary which is claimed by Thimphu.

Bhutan and China have held 24 rounds of border talks and sources said Beijing began putting renewed pressure towards the end of the last year which Thimphu managed to fob off.

The last round of talks was held in 2016 and the next edition was put off after India and China clashed at Doklam.

As against its desire to frequently hold talks with China on the order dispute, India looks askance at its border talks with Bhutan because of claims over Doklam considered extremely sensitive from New Delhi’s security point of view.

China has been putting forward a package deal for over 20 years which includes both sides establishing diplomatic ties followed by a comprehensive border settlement.

But things took a decisive turn during the 2014 talks in Shaanxi when China proposed a joint field survey of the disputed areas.

Soon after, India cut the fuel subsidy leading to skyrocketing cooking gas prices in Bhutan. This led to an election loss for the Jigme Thinley government which may have crossed another South Block red line by assuring China that his country wanted an early border settlement.

The constituency of the new PM Tshering Tobgay happens to be Doklam which China wants to acquire in return for land elsewhere.