China doubles down on claims on eastern Bhutan boundary

China doubles down on claims on eastern Bhutan boundary

The boundary between China and Bhutan has never been delimited. There have been disputes over the eastern, central and western sectors for a long time,” said the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement to the media in Beijing. The MFA was responding to questions about China’s attempt last month to stop funding for the Sakteng sanctuary from the UN Development Program’s Global Environment Facility (GEF), on the grounds that it was “disputed” territory. 

According to written records, there has been no mention of eastern Bhutan, or Trashigang Dzongkhag (district), where Sakteng is based, that borders Arunachal Pradesh, in 24 previous

rounds of boundary negotiations held between the two countries, between 1984 and 2016. So far, the talks have been about three specific areas, including Jakarlung and Pasamlung in the north, and the Chumbi Valley, where Doklam is situated, in west Bhutan. The negotiations have not been held since the Doklam stand­off between Indian and Chinese troops in 2017. In July 2018, Chinese ViceForeign Minister Kong Xuanyou visited Bhutan and met with the Bhutanese King, Prime Minister and other officials, but the 25th round of talks has not yet taken place. Sources said the talks could not be held in 2019 due to scheduling difficulties, and the coronavirus pandemic has delayed them further this year. The Bhutanese government and its Embassy in Delhi declined to comment on the issue.  Bhutan has always maintained a discreet silence on its boundary negotiations with China, and it does not have any formal diplomatic relations with Beijing. The Ministry of External Affairs too declined to comment. The Hindu has learnt that Bhutan had issued a demarche to the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi last month, protesting against the Chinese statement at the Global Environmental Facility meeting that decides on global grants for various projects. The Sakteng sanctuary has in the past, too, received such grants, including in 2018­2019 for a project on preventing soil erosion, without any objection from China.