At first glance, the Kingdom of Bhutan would not seem to be a country that would factor heavily in the calculus of regional powers. With a land mass smaller than that of the Dominican Republic and with fewer people than Fiji, this landlocked Himalayan country has nonetheless become increasingly important strategically to both New Delhi and Beijing. The reason for this interest is not untapped mineral riches or a large consumer class, but Bhutan’s geographical location. As the Kingdom has only in recent years begun to open itself up to the outside world (only legalizing television and the internet in 1999 ), it finds itself caught up in a discreet but high stakes diplomatic battle being waged between India and China.
My article in its entirety, published today on The Diplomat, continues here.
22 august 2017 - Bhutan is a hot spot at this moment and your article was quoted.
ReplyDeleteIn your article on the Diplomat, you said that "In 1960, the Chinese leadership issued a statement was cause for concern in Bhutan:“Bhutanese, Sikkimese and Ladakhis form a united family in Tibet. They have always been subject to Tibet and to the great motherland of China. They must once again be united and taught the communist doctrine.”
I would be very grateful if you can point me to the origin of this statement.