New Delhi, August 26
China and Bhutan have set up a joint technical team (JTG) on the delimitation of China-Bhutan boundary as part of Beijing’s efforts to speed up the resolution of the boundary issue.
The decision to set up the JTG was taken at an Expert Group Meeting (EGM) on China-Bhutan Boundary Issues held in Beijing from August 21 to 24. The meeting of the JTG was held on the concluding day of the 13th EGM.
However, the 25th round of China-Bhutan boundary talks has still not taken place despite intentions expressed at the 12th EGM held on May 23 in Thimphu.
The EGM was taking place when PM Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Johannesburg to end military tensions in the India-China border areas.
Besides setting up a JTG, the 13th EGM saw “constructive discussions on continuously implementing the MoU on the Three-Step Roadmap for expediting the China-Bhutan boundary negotiations” with both sides agreeing to “expedite and take simultaneous steps to implement the Three-Step Roadmap.”
As was the case last time, the 13th EGM also saw the two sides agreeing to keep up the “positive momentum of frequent expert group meetings,” and resolved to hold the next EGM as soon as possible. China and Bhutan have held three EGMs in the first eight months of the current year. The 11th EGM was held in Kunming from January 10 to 13.