Beijing - Efforts to address the longstanding border dispute between Bhutan and China have gained momentum as the two nations inaugurated a new joint technical team aimed at delineating their contested border. The joint technical team's inaugural meeting took place in Beijing this week, signifying a swift escalation in attempts to resolve the issue.
This joint technical team's formation emerged as a key outcome of the 13th Expert Group Meeting (EGM) concerning Bhutan-China boundary matters held in Beijing from August 21 to 24. In a joint statement released on Thursday, the two countries confirmed the establishment of the joint technical team, with its first meeting occurring on the sidelines of the EGM.
This development transpires amidst a prolonged military standoff between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), now spanning four years. China's territorial assertions over Bhutanese areas, notably the strategically important Doklam region, hold implications for India's northeastern security.
The EGM in Beijing fostered "open, friendly, and constructive discussions" between Bhutan and China regarding the implementation of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) centered around a "three-step road map" to expedite boundary negotiations, as stated in the joint statement. However, specific details of this road map have not been publicly disclosed.
The joint statement conveyed that both sides have agreed to expedite the implementation of the "three-step road map" through coordinated efforts. Notably, a significant outcome of the 13th EGM is the establishment of the Joint Technical Team tasked with delimiting the China-Bhutan boundary. This team convened its inaugural meeting during the 13th EGM, the statement highlighted.
The joint statement also accentuated the consensus to sustain the positive momentum generated by frequent Expert Group Meetings. Additionally, the parties agreed to promptly convene the 14th EGM and maintained communication regarding the 25th round of Bhutan-China boundary negotiations.
The 13th EGM was co-chaired by Hong Liang, the director-general of the boundary and ocean affairs department within China's foreign ministry, and Letho Tobdhen Tangbi, Bhutan's secretary of international boundaries. Maj Gen Vetsop Namgyel, Bhutan's ambassador to India, also participated in the meeting.
Bhutan and China, without formal diplomatic ties, maintain communication through the Bhutanese embassy in New Delhi and periodic official visits. Discussions concerning the disputed border began in 1984 and continued through 24 rounds of talks until 2016. Following the 73-day Doklam standoff in 2017—where India deployed troops to counter Chinese road construction in an area contested by Bhutan—both Beijing and Thimphu escalated efforts to settle their border dispute. China claims around 764 sq km of Bhutanese territory.
The MoU on the three-step road map, signed in October 2021, breathed fresh life into these endeavors. In a noteworthy statement earlier this year, Bhutan's Prime Minister Lotay Tshering expressed optimism about resolving the boundary dispute with China in just one or two meetings, adding that there have been no Chinese incursions into areas claimed by Bhutan."