A new report by a Delhi-based organisation has claimed that China has continued to toy with Bhutan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity for decades by showing large parts of Bhutan as part of China, and sometimes by building heavy infrastructure in Bhutan’s territory. But mostly by trying to construct illegal sites in the disputed areas, according to Red Lantern Analytica.
Highlighting the issue regarding the Doklam plateau, the report said that China is claiming the entirety of the plateau. Whereas India has maintained the dignity of historical treaties. Bhutan agreed to coordinate its foreign policy with India, under agreements like the Friendship Treaty.
However, Bhutan is getting pressurised by China to change its stand. Recently, Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering stated that “China has an equal stake in the Doklam dispute” as it is not up to Bhutan alone to solve the Doklam dispute and that all three countries, Bhutan, India, and China are equal stakeholders
The report added that China is trying to shift the disputed tri-junction southward, which would make the entire Doklam plateau legally a part of China, which is in close proximity to India’s strategic Siliguri Corridor.
Bhutan’s position might look like it has limited options when it comes to stopping China’s increasing encroachment on Bhutan’s territory but it is very crucial for Bhutan to not get lured by the cheesy words of the CCP and take a pacifist stand, as taking side with China just might fetch the exact opposite outcome, Red Lantern Analytica reported.
In the past few years, Asia has become the target of CCP’s cruel ‘Debt Trap Diplomacy’, major examples being Pakistan, the so-called “all-weather friend” of China, Sri Lanka, Mongolia, and even Nepal. All these countries were exploited by China for their own personal gains, rendering them reliant on China and eventually losing access to their own natural resources and infrastructure.
Bhutan should be alert and not fall into the trap of China’s dubious claims and reciprocate the gusto that India has always shown in trying to resolve Bhutan’s conflicts with China, the report added.
Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
More
Less
For all the latest world News Click Here
