China, Bhutan agree to build on ‘positive momentum’ in border talks

China and Bhutan have agreed to build on the “positive momentum” in negotiations to resolve their long-standing border dispute, following the conclusion of the 16th round of the Expert Group Meeting (EGM) in Thimphu on October 15.

The three-day meeting was co-chaired by Hou Yanqi, head of the Chinese delegation and director-general of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs, and Letho T Tangbi, secretary of Bhutan’s International Boundaries.

In a joint press release, the two countries said they reviewed progress made in boundary negotiations in recent years and held “friendly, candid and constructive discussions” on implementing the Memorandum of Understanding on the Three-Step Roadmap for Expediting the China-Bhutan Boundary Negotiations.

“The two sides agreed to work together to build on the positive momentum,” the statement said.

On the sidelines of the EGM, the two sides also held the fourth meeting of the Joint Technical Team on Delimitation and Demarcation (JTTDD) of the China-Bhutan boundary. They reached a “positive understanding” on the roadmap for the next phase of discussions.

At the previous JTTDD meeting in Beijing in April, the two sides discussed boundary alignment in areas where no disputes exist, a development regarded as progress by both countries.

The two sides agreed to hold the next round of the EGM at a mutually convenient date.

China and Bhutan do not have formal diplomatic relations but maintain communication through periodic official visits and negotiations. The two countries agreed in 2023 to expedite efforts to settle their boundary dispute through a three-step roadmap.

Bhutan shares an approximately 477-km-long border with China. The two countries have held 25 rounds of boundary talks, but key differences remain unresolved.

The negotiations have strategic implications for India, particularly over the Doklam plateau, claimed by China and Bhutan. In 2017, Chinese attempts to build a road in the disputed area triggered a military standoff with India.

New Delhi opposed the construction, citing security concerns over the proximity of the area to the Siliguri Corridor, the narrow stretch connecting mainland India with the northeastern states. The standoff ended after China dropped its road-building plan.

In 2020, China also laid claim to Bhutan’s Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary during a meeting of the Global Environment Facility Council, opposing funding for a project there. Bhutan subsequently lodged a demarche with the Chinese Embassy in India.

China has increasingly sought to deepen ties with Bhutan and accelerate negotiations to settle the border dispute, developments closely watched by India given the strategic significance of the Himalayan region.