Boundary under negotiation, not demarcated yet: Bhutan on border dispute with China

Day after China refused to let go of its claim on the Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary in far-eastern Bhutan, the country reacted on the border dispute between both sides. Bhutan also said that the boundary between Bhutan and China is under negotiation and has not been demarcated. Twenty-four rounds of ministerial-level boundary talks have been held, Bhutan said.

Meanwhile, the 25th round of boundary talks has been delayed due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

"All disputed areas will be discussed during the next round of boundary talks," the Royal Bhutanese Embassy said in a statement.

Bhutan had also earlier issued a demarche to the Chinese embassy in New Delhi.

Take a look at Bhutan's statement here:

China and Bhutan do not have embassies in each other's countries.

In an apparent move to pressurize India, China has included Bhutan's "eastern sectors" in the territorial dispute between the two countries for the first time. Bhutan's "eastern sectors" are close to Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims is part of its territory as "South Tibet".

Speaking to Hindustan Times, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said the boundary between the two countries has never been delimited. "There have been disputes over the eastern, central and western sectors for a long time," the ministry had said. In a tangential reference to India, the Chinese Foreign Ministry added that "a third party should not point fingers" in the China-Bhutan border dispute.