China, Bhutan hold border talks, ink pact on roles of JTT

BEIJING: China and Bhutan on Tuesday signed a “Cooperation Agreement” outlining the responsibilities and functions of the Joint Technical Team (JTT) on the delimitation and demarcation of the boundary between the two countries after their 25th round of border talks.

Bhutan’s Foreign Minister Dr. Tandi Dorji, who is currently visiting Beijing, and China’s Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong held the 25th Round of Boundary Talks on Monday and Tuesday.

On the sideline of border talks, Dorji met Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on Tuesday and held talks with Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday during which they urged Bhutan to establish diplomatic ties with China and resolve the boundary issue as soon as possible to transform the relations between the two neighbours into legal form.

The two sides held in-depth discussions on the boundary negotiations and noted the progress made through a series of Expert Group Meetings since the 24th Round of Boundary Talks in 2016, a joint press release issued by the Bhutanese Foreign Ministry said.

During the talks, the two leaders of the delegations signed the Cooperation Agreement between Bhutan and China on the Responsibilities and Functions of the Joint Technical Team (JTT) on the Delimitation and Demarcation of the Bhutan-China Boundary, it said.

The JTT was established during the 13th Expert Group Meeting to assist the Expert Group in the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Three-Step Roadmap.

The two sides agreed to continue working together to simultaneously push forward the implementation of all the steps of the Three-Step Roadmap, it said, adding that both sides agreed to build on the positive momentum.

The discussions were held in a warm and friendly atmosphere in keeping with the ties of friendship and cooperation between Bhutan and China. The two sides also exchanged views on enhancing bilateral relations and matters of mutual interest, the press release said.

In his meeting with Dorji, Han said both sides agreed to accelerate the boundary demarcation process and the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Han said that China and Bhutan are friendly neighbours and although the two countries have not yet established diplomatic relations, they have long maintained friendly exchanges.

“China always respects Bhutan’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and is willing to strengthen exchanges at all levels and in all fields, expand practical cooperation on the economy, trade, culture and tourism, and accelerate the boundary demarcation process and the establishment of diplomatic relations with Bhutan to bring more benefits to the two countries and the two peoples,”

Han said.