Bhutan 'hopes' China will follow bilateral agreement on borders

Bhutan on Thursday hoped that China will respect the bilateral agreements between the two countries on the borders.

Bhutan said it has conveyed to the Chinese side, both on the ground and through the diplomatic channel, that the construction of the road inside Bhutanese territory is a direct violation of the agreements and affects the process of demarcating the boundary between our two countries.

A statement Bhutan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "Bhutan hopes that the status quo in the Doklam area will be maintained as before 16 June 2017.

It further added that "On 16th June 2017, the Chinese Army started constructing a motorable road from Dokola in the Doklam area towards the Bhutan Army camp at Zompelri. Boundary talks are ongoing between Bhutan and China and we have written agreements of 1988 and 1998 stating that the two sides agree to maintain peace and tranquillity in their border areas pending a final settlement on the boundary question, and to maintain status quo on the boundary as before March 1959".

The agreements also state that the two sides will refrain from taking unilateral action, or use of force, to change the status quo of the boundary, it added.

Earlier on June 20, Bhutan issued a demarche, a formal statement, to China, asking it to restore status quo in the Doklam area where a section of Chinese soldiers tried to unilaterally build a road towards its Army camp in Zomplri area.

The demarche was served through the Chinese embassy in New Delhi as Bhutan and China do not have diplomatic relations.