Alarm Over Chinese Incursion in Bhutan

[Ryan Ruck]

Alarm Over Chinese Incursion in Bhutan

The Chinese are in Bhutan — its soldiers are building roads and bridges deep inside the country and setting off alarms in both Thimphu and Delhi. Over 200 Chinese soldiers crossed into Bhutan in mid-November and since then, the relations between the two countries have been on the edge.

Bhutan, which has a 470-km unfenced border with China, considers the unasked-for presence of the Red Army in its territory as a violation of the 1998 Sino-Bhutanese border treaty of peace and tranquility. Rattled by the developments, the tiny kingdom, which shares a special relationship and a 605-km border with India, has also informed the Indian home ministry.

The matter also came up before Bhutan's National Assembly and foreign minister Khandu Wangchuk promised the House that the matter would soon be taken up with the Chinese authorities.

On November 13, the Chinese soldiers entered the country’s northern districts, including Paro, and marched 20 km inland, claiming that they had been forced by melting glaciers and heavy snowfall in Tibet to breach the border. But they also went on to infiltrate remote places like Haa, Boomtang and Wangdi Phudrang, which have no human habitation. The Chinese have built pucca bridges in Paro and Haa districts, prompting concern among the people’s representatives from Paro, Haa, Laya, Lunana, Zhemgang and Thimphu.

When secretary of international boundaries Dasho Pema Wangchuk took up the issue with the Chinese delegation led by deputy director-general of the Asian department in the China’s ministry of foreign affairs, China just brushed off the apprehensions.

“They told the Bhutanese that they were over-reacting and that the roads were being built as part of the economic development programmes for western China,” an Indian intelligence officer said. “India and Bhutan enjoy a special relationship, and the current developments have come as a matter of serious concern for India,” the official added.

That the concern is not confined to government circles in Thimphu and Delhi was clear from a recent article in Bhutanese newspaper Kuensel, which said, “There are chances that the Chinese might build more roads further into our territory and gradually claim the land as theirs since they have their roads on our territory.”

But why the incursion? Sources said China had been pressing Bhutan to allow it to open its embassy in Thimphu, and the cross-border forays could be a ploy to arm-twist Bhutan into agreeing to it.

[Ryan Ruck]

Chinese Troops In Bhutan Raising Concern

NEW DELHI -- The presence of Chinese soldiers in Bhutan has set off alarm bells in Thimphu and New Delhi.

Chinese soldiers are building roads and bridges deep inside Bhutan, The Hindustan Times newspaper said Wednesday. More than 200 Chinese troops crossed into Bhutan in mid-November.

"Relations between the two countries have been on the edge since then," said the report.

Bhutanese Foreign Minister Khandu Wangchuk took up the matter with Chinese authorities after the issue was raised in Bhutanese parliament.

"They (Chinese) told them (Bhutanese) that they are overreacting and that roads were being built as part of the economic development programs for western China," an Indian intelligence official said.

He said the Bhutanese government informed India about the developments.

"India and Bhutan enjoy a special relationship, and the current developments have come as a matter of serious concern for India," the official said.

Bhutan has a 260-mile unfenced border with China. It also has a 360-mile border with India.

Thimphu told Beijing the crossover by Chinese soldiers into Bhutanese territory was a violation of the 1998 Sino-Bhutanese treaty of peace and tranquility.

"There are chances that Chinese might build more roads further into our territory and gradually claim the land as theirs since they have their roads on our territory," said Bhutanese newspaper Kuensel in an editorial.

According to a Bhutanese diplomat, China has been mounting pressure on the Himalayan kingdom to allow it to open its embassy in Thimphu.