Bhutan, a country nestled in the Himalayas, resembles a flag with yellow and red. On the left and right, on the one hand, it is close to China, and on the other hand, it is inseparable from India.
Although it is a small country and a small country, it is not dependent on a large country, let alone has established diplomatic relations with China, which borders on land. This is because, before India became independent, Britain and India already regarded it as a buffer zone between China and India.
After India's independence, they turned their attention to Bhutan, hoping that it would become a buffer zone between China and India and avoid direct contact with China. In recent years, whenever Bhutan's relations with China show signs of warming, India will appear extremely nervous and uneasy, and put pressure on Bhutan to stifle signs of warming relations between China and Bhutan in the cradle.
However, this practice in India is clearly unfounded. Due to the large amount of aid that India sends to Bhutan every year, Bhutan has a slim chance of escaping India's control.
At the same time, Bhutan has no diplomatic relations with the United States, which is reminiscent. So why doesn't Bhutan establish diplomatic relations with China and the United States?
The flag flying on the top of the Himalayas symbolizes Bhutan's spirit of independence and freedom. Red, blue and white are intertwined to make up this distinctive national flag.
Red represents courage and passion, blue represents peace and tranquility, and white represents purity and immaculateness. This flag is not only a symbol of Bhutan but also a symbol of pride and pride for its people.
No matter when and where, seeing this flag reminds us of the beauty and tranquility of Bhutan.
Inaccessibility: Due to its unique geographical location and historical exploitation and control, Bhutan has maintained relatively distant relations with surrounding countries, especially China and India.
Although both large countries are important neighbors of Bhutan, Bhutan has never been able to find a balance between them and has chosen to keep a certain distance.
Bhutan, a country located in Asia, is bordered by China to the north and India to the south. To ensure the security of northern India, the British colonizers instituted a policy of Bhutan. In the 60s of the 19th century, with the penetration of ** power into the Central Asian region, it posed a threat to British interests in Asia.
Britain recognises that in order to maintain an advantage in the confrontation, it must gain a foothold in the world, and Bhutan, located in the southern foothills of the Himalayas, is the key to unlocking the region.
Bhutan's strategic position is particularly important after making it clear that the main threat to northern India comes from. However, the signing of the Anglo-Russian Pact in 1907 alleviated the pressure on Britain in the Himalayas, allowing Britain to focus more on containing China.
The British colonial authorities believed that Chinese influence in the Himalayas posed a threat to northern India, so they developed a "policy of deterrence". The core of the policy is that, on the one hand, affirm the independence of small Himalayan countries, and on the other hand, the United Kingdom** needs to maintain sufficient influence in these countries to prevent Chinese influence on them.
Such a policy was aimed at ensuring the security of northern India and safeguarding British interests in the Himalayas.
During the period before India's independence, the British** dominated exchanges with Bhutan in order to control neighboring countries and protect their vested interests through India.
At that time, China was in a situation of internal and external troubles, and there was no time to take care of Bhutan. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, as China's strength gradually increased, why did Bhutan still choose not to establish diplomatic relations with it?
Bhutan's position in China-India relations has always been in the spotlight. Since the signing of the Treaty of Perpetual Peace and Friendship between India and Bhutan, India has been infiltrating and controlling Bhutan on various fronts.
In the 50s of the 20th century, Bhutan's diplomacy was actually carried out by India**, and in the 60s of the 20th century, India further strengthened its relations with Bhutan.
During the Cold War, India's diplomatic relations with Bhutan reached a state of high harmony.
Bhutan became a member of the Colombo Plan in 1962 and joined the Universal Postal Union in 1969, thanks to India's strong support.
After the 60s of the 20th century, under the pretext of helping Bhutan to improve its institutions at all levels, India strengthened its infiltration and control over all aspects of Bhutan, and sent many personnel to Bhutan's ** departments at all levels as advisers and staff, such as Bhutan's "adviser" civilian officer Nari Rustomje and "liaison officer for the consultation and cooperation plan and the two countries" as India's special **.
However, behind the Indian "help", Bhutan felt uneasy, as the Indian armed annexation of Sikkim made it the Indian state of Sikkim.
Bhutan insisted on the struggle against control and for independent diplomacy, and despite the Treaty of Perpetual Peace and Friendship with India, the relationship between the two countries was more about "control" and "anti-control".
Bhutan joined the United Nations and established diplomatic relations with Bangladesh without India's consent. In 1974, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bhutan made it clear that Bhutan had the freedom not to accept India's views in foreign affairs and wished to reduce India's staff and advisers in the country, and did not accept India sending new advisers and staff to Bhutan.
Bhutan has always been firmly on India's side, not on a whim, but with deep ties that began in 1974. At that time, India reduced its presence in Bhutan, and by the end of the 80s of the 20th century, the Indian advisers and staff in Bhutan** had been completely replaced by Bhutanese.
This trust and partnership went from strength to strength over the decades that followed. The King of Bhutan and *** frequently travel around the world in hopes of expanding their country's influence and attracting more people to visit and visit Bhutan.
At the same time, India has also begun to focus on improving relations with its neighbors, and its policy towards Bhutan has become more lenient. Therefore, even in 2023, Bhutan still insists on "partnering" with India.
Bhutan's economy has been relatively closed for a long time, and its level of development has been relatively backward. To improve the situation, Bhutan** embarked on its first five-year economic development plan in 1961.
With the help of India**, the programme focuses on key sectors such as road transport, education, agriculture and energy, with all the funds needed being provided by India**.
During the First and Second Five-Year Plan periods, India** provided Bhutan with a total of 3Rs.09.4 billion in aid. Of these, 1Rs 07.2 billion was provided during the second five-year plan periodRs 02.2 billion.
These two five-year plans have played a crucial role in Bhutan's economic development. The two programmes focused on increasing agricultural and horticultural production, improving the level of education, building a team of technicians, improving animal husbandry, establishing communication networks, and providing an economic outlet for surplus production in the plains.
India's development assistance to Bhutan has been gradually reduced between the Third and Fifth Five-Year Plans as Bhutan's access to finance has expanded.
Despite this, in 2022, India remained the country that provided the most assistance to Bhutan. Against the backdrop of tensions between China and India, Bhutan is naturally on India's side.
In June 2017, China and India faced off in the Doklam area for 72 days. Although the incident ended with India's withdrawal, the standoff was a win-win for both countries.
In doing so, China emphasized a mutually beneficial foreign policy, while India demonstrated the boldness of a rising South Asian power. This incident also heralded the beginning of a new round of strategic game between China and India.
Bhutan's relationship with India has always been close throughout history, and the 1949 treaty that gave Bhutan the right to interfere in Bhutan's foreign dealings.
India's role in Bhutan's diplomacy is almost the same as that of Britain in Bhutan in 1910. Although some elements were deleted from the new treaty signed in 2007, India's influence on Bhutan remained substantively.
The occurrence of the Doklam incident clearly reflects this. There are two main reasons for India's control over Bhutan: first, India pursues "absolute security" and sees Bhutan as a buffer zone between China and India; Second, in order to maintain its hegemony in South Asia, India needs to strengthen its control over Bhutan.
To this day, Bhutan remains the only neighboring country that does not have diplomatic relations with China.
Bhutan's diplomacy is limited, with only 25 countries and the European Union having diplomatic relations, and India has always been wary of Bhutan's engagement with China and firmly controls the situation of small South Asian countries.
Although Bhutan has a permanent representative office in the United States, it does not have diplomatic relations with the United States. This is because of India's attitude. The U.S. "Indo-Pacific Strategy" is aimed at China, and its intention to balance China is well known to the world, which has been fully confirmed in official U.S. documents and various discussions by non-governmental scholars.
Bhutan has been repeatedly pinned down by foreign powers, and in the end it can only be taken advantage of.
In the "Indo-Pacific Strategy", India has played an irreplaceable role as an indispensable and important fulcrum country. However, the historical grievances and practical issues between China and India have not yet been resolved, and the Doklam incident in 2017 has exacerbated suspicion and hostility between the two sides.
The behavior of the United States in this incident has made India more hawkish on China, and it has also made Sino-Indian relations face great challenges. Although India adheres to an independent and non-aligned foreign policy, in order to gain more strategic benefits and win the support of the United States, New Delhi has joined the "Indo-Pacific Strategy", which will undoubtedly make it favor the United States in dealing with Sino-US issues, so that the formulation and implementation of its China policy will be more fettered, and the contradictions between China and India will also increase.
As a buffer between China and India, Bhutan is inevitably caught up in such disputes.
Does Bhutan really have no intention of establishing diplomatic relations with the United States? It may be due to the fact that the White House issued a statement stating that the United States and India will not align themselves, causing them to dare not act too much; Similarly, does Bhutan really have no intention of establishing diplomatic relations with China?
The pressure on India is so great that it is difficult for Bhutan to move forward.
If the territorial dispute between China and India can be resolved as soon as possible, it may be a boon for China not to establish diplomatic relations, which means that China will no longer be affected by India if China does not resolve the territorial dispute, and the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and India is just around the corner.
China looks forward to the establishment of diplomatic relations with Bhutan and the eventual realization of a peaceful and stable situation in the surrounding area.
China and Bhutan have held a number of expert meetings on the border issue and have made significant progress, according to a military report by China.com. At the twelfth meeting in Bhutan, the two sides will conclude a demarcation agreement, which is expected to resolve the long-standing border dispute.
The signing of this agreement demonstrates China's foreign policy of being willing to resolve international disputes through dialogue and consultation, and also demonstrates China's respect for Bhutan's territory and firm defense of its sovereignty.
India's attempt to encroach on Chinese territory under the guise of "protecting Bhutan" is immoral and unacceptable. China has shown responsibility and restraint in the Doklam standoff, but India has not taken its share of responsibility.
China's position is clear and it will not make any compromises. The signing of this agreement once again proves the friendly relations between China and Bhutan, and also sends a signal that India should not continue to hegemon.
The United States has forcibly promoted the "Indo-Pacific Strategy", but this approach is unpopular.