China-Bhutan Border Talks

Leaders from China and Bhutan held talks on May 24 and 25 about their long-standing border dispute. Chinese Director General of the Department of Ocean Affairs Hong Liang and Bhutanese Secretary of the International Boundaries Tobdhen Tangbi discussed progress on implementing a roadmap to speed up border negotiations.

China and Bhutan dispute border territory in the Himalayas. Both nations claim certain territories along their shared border, including a strategic plateau called Doklam, situated close to the junction between India, Bhutan and China.

In recent years, China has constructed settlements in its claimed territory, despite the boundary lines being unclear.

In January, during China and Bhutan’s 11th Expert Group Meeting on boundary issues, the two nations reached a “positive consensus” on their border dispute.

In their most recent meeting this May, the two sides talked about how to accelerate a Three-Step Roadmap agreed to in 2012; they also discussed holding the 25th Round of Bhutan-China Boundary Talks at an earlier date.

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