Bhutan: Living Between Giants - Literature review Example

Bhutan: Living Between Giants Lecturer: Bhutan: Living Between Giants The Bhutan, formally well-known as the Bhutan monarchy is an enclosed country found in Southern part of Asia towards the eastern region of the Himalayas. China and India states border Bhutan monarchy, where Thimphu is the leading metropolitan. The two giant states are the main players in the global forum for Bhutanese; Bhutanese had always been following the footpath of India in terms of foreign strategy. It was not until 1984 when Bhutan began their boundary negotiations with the Chinese. The Bhutanese live amid the two giant states, which includes India and China. The boundary negotiations led to seventeen negotiation rounds, but they could not arrive at the concrete result. Small states like Bhutan had been the invasion objects for the powerful states because of the scramble for power during the colonial and cold war’s era. This is because the two giant states in midst of a small nation have been competitors; thus creating a complex atmosphere for their small neighbors. Thus, buffing up security and employing regional security policies and establishing diplomatic ties with their neighbors can enable Bhutan to survive from being over intervened by China and India. Maintaining security through participating in peace talks can enable Bhutan to survive from being intervened by the two giant states, which surrounds them. Putting up security and emphasizing on the security of the state is significant in protecting the states from insecurity issues or any interference from any other state. Bhutan is among the small states that have made a substantial effort in maintaining their security to avoid any interference from any outside state. Although this country has never been under colonization, they have been always aware and keen of any issues of defense (Karma, 2001). This is because of they want to maintain the supremacy of the state, their sovereignty and territorial integrity that has been a constant challenge. The Bhutan survived from the two leading global wars and cold wars, unlike the two surrounding neighbors. However, the Bhutanese fought seven wars in the south and north of these two neighbors with an aim of safeguarding their territorial jurisdiction. Bhutan should take their own independent decisions as an independence state wedged between the two giant states. Bhutan is a landlocked state boarded by China and India, but it is of strategic importance because it controls various significant passing to Himalayas. It has been for a long period under the rule of the British Empire and the post Independent of the republic of India. Thus, maintaining their relationship with Indian government will enable them to become successful in economic and other affairs. However, the Bhutan government should take their own independent decision in case they want to avoid being intervened by Indian and China states. Bhutan has been for a long period depending heavily for economic assistance from India. Despite the boarder sharing with China, Bhutan has never had a diplomatic alliance with China government. This is because the raid by PLA has been a serious menace to their defensive integrity and state security for the past few years (Penjore 2004, p.111). The Bhutan government has been under pressure to unwrap their diplomatic association with China. However, maintaining their independent decisions as a sovereignty state will enable Bhutan to remain in the midst of the two giant nations. Penjore (2004) argues that China have never had any contact with Bhutan until the Ching regime retained their inhabitant in Lhasa region around 1720s. China made efforts to efforts to solve boarder disputes, but it posed a serious security threat after the incursion of PLA into the territory of Bhutanese. China decided to solve the security problem bilaterally when the Bhutanese protested over the incursion from the PLA. Subsequent events led to the border issues and border discussion through peace talks became the main solution for solving the security issues. This progress has been due to technical and political nature of the problem (Penjore 2004, 112). However, China and Bhutan made a treaty on the fundamental steering principles on border clash resolution. China had a concern in developing straight relations with Bhutan than resolving border clashes. However, the Bhutan government did not want to engage in any diplomatic relations. Therefore, China proposed a signing of an interim agreement for peacekeeping and tranquility across the borders in 1996. The interim agreement was ratified in December 1998, and it became significant because it was the first legal document ratified by Bhutan and China countries. The agreement made china view Bhutan as part of China but not a freedom state. The Bhutanese government can solve security problems through resolving border issues with their neighbors. This is significant because it will enable them to maintain peace, achieve security; thus survive within the two giant states. The Chinese made a package deal of solving the border clashes in Nepal rather than use of sector by sector settlement (Sharma, 2012). Thus, the two nations that are China and Bhutan discussed this matter at the technical level and made a verdict of mapping the regions on maps. This was an indication that the two giants nations were heading to a political relation. Bhutan has always maintained one policy of China through voting the UN seat for China, but they rejected the participation of Taiwan’s motion in UN and WHO (Ricardo, 2001). However, the ambassadors from both states have been visiting each other, and this have opened up for new channels for interactions and contacts for opinion exchange on varied issues a part from boundary talks. Bhutan government can establish the foundation for effective diplomatic ties with their neighboring countries especially China. This is essential because it will raise security alarm and help these states to maintain security levels. This is the only way through which Bhutanese can be able to survive amidst of the two giant states. Bagchi (2012) argues that it is about time for change whereby the Bhutanese should implement a new deal of establishing diplomatic ties with the Chinese government. The government of India confronts the two states by a strategy that will enable them to sign for an ally. This will permit Bhutan to institute political ties with the China government. China is ready to establish official relations with Bhutan administration in order to improve their relations between the two states. Although Bhutan stands on a One-China Policy, the Chinese government respects their decision (Bagchi (2012). However, Bhutan government have not yet corresponded confirmation over the diplomatic tie issues; hence the only way these states can maintain peace and harmony is through tightening their diplomatic ties. Sharma (2012) examines the growing strategic concern and the significant of establishing the diplomatic tie as a significant issue for the Bhutan and their giant neighbors, China and India. China has made significant efforts of connecting Bhutanese openly despite of the absence of political ties among them. In order for Bhutanese to improve their relationships with the two powerful neighbors, they should establish diplomatic ties. However, China should first solve the border conflicting issues with the Himalayan state. This is because China shares with Bhutan the land of about 470km, which is along the border and this has been a serious problem for land dispute issues. This border is not demarcated; thus boarder dispute have been a significant problem for conflicts between the Bhutan and China. Chinese government claims that their boarder territory stretches from Doklam up to the area of Amo Chhu; thus these territory disputes create tension because of the frequent Chinese incursion of PLA (Sharma, 2012). The need for maintaining peace and stability across border region is one way through which Bhutan can survive from being intervened by China and India. The issues of peace across the boarders have been for a long period a serious problem of security in Bhutan with these two nations surrounding them. These nations have made efforts of maintaining peace and stability through peace talks and negotiation, but they have never arrived into the final decision. For instance, during the boarder talks, China decided to offer Bhutan territory exchange. China agreed to leave Bhutanese to agree on the region boundaries and sketch the map or the country’s territory after border negotiation matter. During the year 1999, China had yet to resolve border disputes; thus, they sent their delegates to Bhutan in order to carry on with border peace talks; thus, they managed to solve the key border disputes. The border dispute talks ended satisfactorily when the financial assistance expressed China’s wish to offer Bhutanese financial assistance. Bhutan should maintain their relationships with two giant states surrounding them. The relationships between Bhutan and the two giant states surrounding them have not been of an equal length and depth as far as they share borders. Bhutanese are closer to Indians; thus, the two share intimate bonds in foreign affairs issues, trade affairs, economic issues, national defense and security. Bhutan built their foreign affairs relationships entirely with Indian thus the two signed Treaty of perpetual Peace and friendship between their government and that of India (Hsu 2003, p.9). The India government does not have authority to interfere with the internal management of Bhutan as indicated under article two. The Bhutan government also signed a treaty indicating that the Indian administration should lead them in regard to external relations as indicated on the same article. Therefore, this means that the Bhutan government should seek advice from the foreign relations in exchange of the recognition of India. Bhutan depends heavily on the financial assistance and foreign relations from India; thus building mutual rapport with the surrounding giant states of immense significant. India and Bhutan formed a formal diplomatic tie, but the Indians provided substantial support especially financial and technical assistance to Bhutanese. For instance, the Bhutan received support from India in order to become a permanent UNSC member (United Nations Security Council). Moreover, since Bhutan itself is a weak power in the religion, it cannot defend itself from incursion by PLA (People’s Liberation Army) into the undefined border areas. Therefore, they can maintain their relationship with India, in order to get financial and security support. PLA is a military force for Chinese, and it was established in 1927 during the uprising of Nanchang and Kuomintang troops. Therefore, maintaining a good relationship with the two giants can enable Bhutan to survive between the two giant nations. On the other hand, India government is trying to use Bhutan as a buffer zone in case of any future warfare. The Bhutan’s support from India to become permanent UNSC members is one way of trying to use them as a buffer zone (Thierry, 2004). The Bhutan receives high economic aid from the administration of India more than the China administration. Most of the investment funds for five-year term economic activities development projects originates from the government of India. India funds most of the Bhutanese project activities, and they subsidize their projects in order to help Bhutanese to achieve economic development goals. In conclusion, Bhutan can survive from over intervened by China and India through establishing diplomatic ties with their surrounding neighbors. They can also maintain security through peace talks with the two states. Bhutan is advancing and opening up its financial system in order to become an independent and stable economy. Therefore, opening the diplomatic space and maintaining their relations with surrounding neighbors is vital. This can enable them to move forward towards an independent economic state. The main significant issue is to maintain the diplomatic ties as this will help them to achieve other powers from the federal government. References Bagchi, I. (June 23, 2012). “China’s coziness with Bhutan rings security alarm for India”. The Times of India. Retrieved on November 27, 2012 from http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-06-23/india/32381541_1_sino-bhutanese-jigme-y-thinley-thimphu. Hsu, K. (2003). A Preliminary Study Of The Triangular Relationship Between Bhutan, China and India. Foreign Policy and Relations. P. 1-22. Karma, U. (2001). “Perception of Security,” in South Asian Security: Future, Dipankar Banerjee (eds.) (Colombo: Regional Centre for Strategic Studies) Penjore, D. (2004).Security of Bhutan: Walking Between the Giants. Journal of Bhutan Studies, Volume 10, Summer.108-131. Sharma, R. (August 31, 2012). “The Bhutan-China-India Triangle – Analysis”. Eurasia Review News and Analysis. Retrieved on November 27, 2012 from http://www.eurasiareview.com/31082012-the-bhutan-china-india-triangle-analysis/ Thierry, M. (2004). “Bhutan-China Relations: Towards a New Step in Himalayan Politics”, in The Spider and The Piglet: Proceedings of the First International Seminar on Bhutanese Studies. Ricardo, H. (January 2001). “Prisoner of Geography – landlocked countries economies” .Foreign Policy. Read More