Beijing. China and Bhutan have ‘positively agreed’ to take forward the implementation of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) to accelerate negotiations to resolve the border dispute between the two countries through a three-stage framework. According to a joint statement issued by the two countries, the 11th Expert Group Meeting (EGM) on the China-Bhutan boundary issue was held in Kunming city of China from January 10 to 13. Bhutan shares a 477 km long border with China and the two countries have held 24 rounds of border talks to resolve the border dispute.
China and Bhutan do not have diplomatic relations, but the two countries maintain contact through periodic official visits. India and Bhutan are the two countries with which China is yet to finalize boundary agreements, while Beijing has settled border disputes with 12 other neighbours. The joint statement issued on Friday said that at the 11th EGM, the two sides “exchanged views in a frank, cordial and constructive atmosphere” on implementing a three-stage framework memorandum to accelerate China-Bhutan boundary talks. Done and unanimously reached a positive conclusion. It said, “Both sides agreed to simultaneously pursue the implementation of all phases of the three-phased framework.”
The two sides also agreed to maintain contact through diplomatic channels to increase the frequency of the EGM and hold the 25th round of China-Bhutan boundary talks at a mutually convenient date at the earliest, the statement said. The two countries had signed an MoU to accelerate China-Bhutan boundary talks in 2021, laying out a three-stage framework to speed up boundary talks and establishment of diplomatic relations. In 2017, China’s attempt to build a road in the Doklam area had resulted in a major India-China standoff, leading to heightened tensions between the two neighbours.
read this also: Peru Political Crisis: Violent protests against the government in Peru, 42 civilians killed so far… 329 arrested
