In Doklam Standoff, Bhutan PM’s China Comment Raises Concern In India

The Bhutanese Prime Minister’s statement on China having a stake in finding a resolution to the territorial dispute is likely to be deeply problematic for New Delhi Six years after

The Bhutanese Prime Minister’s statement on China having a stake in finding a resolution to the territorial dispute is likely to be deeply problematic for New Delhi

Six years after Indian and Chinese soldiers faced off in Doklam, Bhutan’s Prime Minister has said Beijing has an equal say in finding a resolution to the dispute over the high-altitude plateau which New Delhi believes has been illegally occupied by China.

”It is not up to Bhutan alone to solve the problem,” said Prime Minister Lotay Tshering in an interview with the Belgian Daily La Libre. ”There are three of us. There is no big or small country, there are three equal countries, each counting for a third.”

The Bhutanese Prime Minister’s statement on China having a stake in finding a resolution to the territorial dispute is likely to be deeply problematic for New Delhi, which is entirely opposed to China extending its footprint in Doklam since the plateau lies close to the sensitive Siliguri corridor, the narrow tract of land that separates India’s Northeastern states from the rest of the country.

Now, Bhutan’s Prime Minister says, ”We are ready. As soon as the other two parties are ready too, we can discuss.” It is an indicator that Thimphu is willing to negotiate the status of the tri-junction in Doklam between India, China and Bhutan, which lies at the heart of the dispute.

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