Why Bhutan hasn’t established diplomatic relations with China?

China Tibet Online
July 7, 2015

National flag of Bhutan [Photo/Agencies]

On the morning of July 1 local time, U.S. President Obama announced the renewal of diplomatic relations with Cuba. Thus Bhutan, a country that has never established diplomatic relations with the U.S. and China, is now coming to the world’s spotlight.

What makes Bhutan’s foreign affairs so different? Let’s turn to history for the answers.

In 1949, Bhutan and India signed a “Permanent Peace and Friendship Treaty”, stipulating that India would guide Bhutan’s internal and external affairs. In fact, there are only 20 countries that have established diplomatic ties with Bhutan and none of these 20 countries is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

Bhutan lies on the border of Yadong County in southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region. It is a picturesque country with a population of over 700,000 people and an area of nearly 40,000 square kilometers.

Though they are neighbors, Bhutan and China have not established diplomatic relations. But the two countries have maintained friendly relations, which have gone beyond many people’s imaginations.

Historically, Bhutan was once a vassal state of China. It was part of the Tubo (Tibet, 618-842) territory in the 8th century, and became part of China from the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) until the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), when it gradually began to split off due to its weakening national power.

The Kingdom of Bhutan means “border of Tibet” in Sanskrit; it is also known as “the dragon country”, and there is a large dragon on the national flag, from which one can see a connection with China. Bhutan and China’s Tibet share a similar language, customs, and culture, and most Bhutanese are followers of Tibetan Buddhism.

In September 2010, Bhutanese Sungtrul Rinpoche made a pilgrimage to Tibet. In recent years, Princess Dechen Wangmo Wangchuk of Bhutan made pilgrimages to Tibet and Mt. Wutai (located in Shanxi Province, known as a sacred mountain in Buddhism).

In 1971, Bhutan voted in favor of the PRC resuming its lawful seat in the United Nations. In 1974, Bhutan invited the chargé d’affaires, Ma Muming, of the Chinese Embassy in India to attend the coronation of the Fourth King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuk. Since 1979, leaders from the two countries have exchanged messages of congratulations for each other’s National Day each year. China and Bhutan maintain good cooperation in international arenas. Bhutan continued to defend China against anti-China sentiments and Taiwan-related proposals in the United Nations Human Rights Council and the World Health Assembly.

Border issues are always sensitive. The border between China and Bhutan is about 600 kilometers long. It has never been formally demarcated, but there has always been stability. Since 1984, China and Bhutan have held border talks alternatively in Beijing and in Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan. In 1988, the two countries signed the “Agreement on Maintaining Peace and Tranquility in Border Regions between Government of the People’s Republic of China and Government of the Kingdom of Bhutan” during the 12th round of border talks. This was the first agreement between the two governments, and it was of significant importance in maintaining border stability between the two countries.

As of 2011, there were 24 countries that hadn’t established diplomatic relations with China. Among them, only Bhutan and Guatemala had not established “diplomatic ties” with Taiwan.

Bhutan is one of the countries who has not set up diplomatic relations with either China or the U.S., but it still enjoys a very good relationship with China.