Wen The Human Society.
Edited The Human Society.
«-[Introduction]-»
Standing on the border between China and Xizang, looking up, the snowy mountains are rolling, and the air carries a little plateau clarity.
Less than 45 kilometers ahead, you can reach the capital city of this neighboring country. Driving is an hour.
But just so close away lies a huge paradox: this country is the only country among China's 14 land neighbors that has not formally established diplomatic relations with us.
Not only that, this small country was once our territory, and it has a deep cultural relationship with Tibet. Even the peculiar tradition of "polyandry" has been preserved.
Who is this country?Why is such a close neighbor diplomatically like separating the Milky Way?
Here, history, geopolitics, and the country's own survival wisdom weave a complicated and intriguing web. Come and have a good chat today.
Millennial neighbors, the shadows left by history
The origins of Bhutan and China. It has to be pulled over a thousand years ago.
In the 8th century AD, Xizang was at the peak of the Tubo Dynasty. At that time, Bhutan, also called "Bulukba", was tightly tied to our Tibetan culture.
Their language, with the tone of Tibetan; their Buddhism, a path with Tibetan Buddhism; even festivals, clothes, can see the shadow of Tibetans.
Outside the Himalayas, culture blows like the wind. The two sides have long been joined together.
In the Yuan Dynasty, the central dynasty strictly controlled Tibet, and Bhutan was included in the territory and was under the control of Xuanzhengyuan.
However, at that time, the mountains were high and the roads were far away, and the court's orders reached Bhutan, which was more or less like shouting several mountains away and could not reach the bottom.
But Bhutan, despite its name, Actually, semi-independent, living your own little life.
The morning came, Bhutan was more proactive, and in 1406 they sent people to Nanjing to Pyongyang, requesting to be incorporated into the map of the morning.
Ming Zhao's great hand took Bhutan as the Clan's country, and this relationship continued for several hundred years, until the Qing Dynasty.
But it was not long, and at the end of the 18th century, the trouble came.
The British colonized India and His eyes were set on this strategic place in the Himalayas.
In 1865, they forced Bhutan to sign the Sinchula Treaty. The terms were so harsh that people were teeth itching-Bhutan ceded large tracts of land, and diplomatic power had to listen to Britain.
At that time, the Qing Dynasty itself was in dire straits. How could it care about this remote country? In this way, Bhutan was forcibly dragged out of the China suzerain-vassal system.
The British did not bother to completely occupy Bhutan. They felt that this place was poor and had little economic value, leaving a power vacuum.
This vacuum didn't last long before it was filled by another big player in South Asia.
India's "tightening curse", Bhutan's helplessness
In 1947, India’s independence took over Britain’s role in South Asia and Bhutan became the “strategic baby” in India’s eyes.
In 1949, India signed the Treaty of Permanent Peace and Friendship with the newly ascended third king of Bhutan, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck.
The name sounds nice, but the clause is not ambiguous: Bhutan’s diplomacy must listen to India’s “guides.”
To put it bluntly, India has set a tight spell on Bhutan. With whom to build relationships and how to build relationships, India said.
In return, India backed Bhutan by providing defense protection and economic assistance.
The Indian army is directly stationed in Bhutan, rebuilding roads and building power plants, like the shadow of India.
Why is India so concerned? Simply, South Asia is India's "back garden" and they cannot allow other major powers to intervene, especially China.
Bhutan is sandwiched between China and India. The geographical location is too sensitive and it is simply a strategic barrier for India.
India is afraid of Chinese influence in the South. So we cling to Bhutan's diplomatic power.
Looking at the end of Sikkim, it is clear – this small country of Bhutan’s origin, annexed by India in 1975, became a state of India.
Bhutan sees it in its eyes, how dare it be careless? Bhutan is not completely helpless. The third generation king is a sensible person, who has studied abroad and has an active brain.
He knew that relying entirely on India was not a long-term solution. Since the 1960s, he began to try to explore the outside world.
In 1971, Bhutan successfully joined the United Nations, earning itself an international identity.
This step went cleverly, equivalent to the protection shell of a "sovereign state" for Bhutan, It's not so easy to make India want to annex.
Even so, in the face of such a major event as establishing diplomatic relations with China, Bhutan still has to look at India's face.
In 2007, Bhutan and India renewed the treaty, and the wording was slightly friendly, but the core remained unchanged – diplomatic power, or India said.
Border Disputes: Building Barriers on the Road
Among them, there is an unavoidable corner – the border issue.
There are approximately 495 square kilometers of disputed land between the two countries, mainly in the southern Tibetan mountain range, such as Hulu and Lulin.
The point is that the historical boundaries are ambiguous. The second is the mess left by the British colonial period.
In the late Qing Dynasty, the British drew lines in the Himalayas without negotiating well with China, leaving behind a bunch of ambiguous boundary definitions.
In 1998, China did not start border negotiations, and so far more than 20 rounds have been opened, and there are some preliminary consensus, such as the two sides are willing to peacefully resolve.
But after all, Bhutan is a small country, with a territory of only 38,000 square kilometers, and it hurts dead to lose a little land.
They are worried that once the negotiations deepen, concessions may have to be made and the integrity of the country will be shaken.
China has an open attitude, has repeatedly stated that it respects Bhutan's sovereignty and is willing to solve problems through dialogue.
But Bhutan is stuck in the middle, India is staring behind, who dares to move forward easily? That’s how things get stuck on the border line.
Bhutan's Happiness Code: The Other Side of Xanadu
Speaking of Bhutan, the outside world always loves to mention its "happiness country" name.
This is not bragging. Bhutan does have its own unique secrets.
They are not superstitious about GDP, and have taken a "Gross National Happiness" (GNH) indicator, which examines cultural protection, environmental sustainability, and spiritual satisfaction.
70% of the country is forest, and the air is clear enough to be sold as a drink.
Bhutan is one of the few carbon neutral countries in the world. The government provides free medical care and free education.
Buddhism is national religion, temple bells and festival celebrations are daily, and life is slow as an old truck.
The culture of Bhutan is very interesting.
In the past, there was a popular "single-wife doff", a woman who married several brothers, mainly to gather family resources.
In 1953, the system was abolished, and the law also restricted polygamy. But there are still people in remote areas in the north who secretly follow old traditions.
On the streets of Thimphu, young people wear traditional robes "Guo" and use mobile phones to browse social media. Tradition and modernity are mixed harmoniously.
However, under the aura of happiness, there are also difficulties in Bhutan. Economically, they rely on agriculture and tourism to support their appearance, with Indian aid accounting for the bulk.
The unemployment rate of young people is not low, and many people have to go to India or beyond to work.
Although the tourism industry makes money, it is also limited, but in 2023 Bhutan will receive 100,000 tourists all year, and the high-end tourism path is careful.
The most important thing is the diplomatic constraints.
The diplomatic life of Bhutan. Let this small country have little sense of existence on the international stage.
The subtle balance of unrelatedness and the dawn of the future
Although no relations have been established, the two countries haveined a low level of friendly exchanges over the past few decades.
China has never engaged in a high-handed policy towards Bhutan, and has always emphasized respecting its sovereignty. On international occasions, Bhutan also tries its best to be neutral on China-related issues and does not take the initiative to cause trouble.
This subtle silence has made China-India three-party relations not so sharp. border negotiations are a highlight.
In 2021, China also signed a "Three-Step Roadmap". Accelerate the pace of resolving border disputes.
Although the progress was slow, at least the door was not closed.
On China's side, international cooperation is booming. If it can bring some economic benefits to Bhutan in the future, such as building a road and building a power station, Bhutan may see the benefits of establishing diplomatic relations.
In 2024, there were reports that some voices in Bhutan began to discuss the possibility of getting closer to China. After all, India's high-pressure policy made many Bhutanese feel uncomfortable.
Bhutan's future is like walking on a tightrope. To the left, India stared; On the right, China is waiting.
They must find a balance between the two big neighbors, safeguard their security and interests, and struggle for some autonomy.
This is a difficult path, but Bhutan has its own wisdom.
In 2019, Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering visited China, attended the Expo and chatted about economic cooperation.
Although it hasn’t been done, this small step, Someone has seen hope.
The Unfinished Story of Snow Mountain
Bhutan, a neighbor 45 kilometers from China, is both familiar and unfamiliar.
It was once our territory, but is now diplomatically isolated.
Thimphu under the snowy mountains, the lights are quiet and the Buddhist sound is curling. The happiness makes the world envious.
But this happiness, with a little bit of the smell of life.
The shadow of history, the curse of India, the unresolved mystery of borders, The unique fate of Bhutan.
What will the future hold? No one knows for sure.
Per one day, the border line was cleared, India loosened her hand, and the canyon between them fell quietly.
At that time, the 45 kilometers between Tibet and Timbuktu may not only be geographically distant, but really connect the two countries.
But the story of Bhutan is not finished. The snow remains, and the answer floats in the wind.
Reference materials: historical literature, foreign ministry records, the Global Times, Bhutan government reports and international news (no "three-step roadmap" in 2021, the 2019 Bhutanese prime minister's visit to China, etc.), Bhutan tourism data (100,000 visitors in 2023), GNH specific practices, etc.