In India-China Border Spat, This Country Struggles To Defend Territory

China has long offered Bhutan control of areas on their disputed northern border, which has been officially closed for decades, provided it hands over Doklam, the people said.

With tensions still high along the India-China border, landlocked Bhutan is struggling to both maintain its territory and keep both Asian powerhouses happy.

As Bhutan prepares for border talks with Beijing, the Himalayan kingdom has indicated to India that it won't recognize China's claims to the Doklam plateau in the discussions, people familiar with the situation said. In 2017, India's military intervened on Bhutan's behalf to stop China from building a road in the disputed area overlooking a narrow strip of land that connects India's northeastern states with the rest of the country.

China has long offered Bhutan control of areas on their disputed northern border, which has been officially closed for decades, provided it hands over Doklam, the people said. In recent years Beijing has stepped up pressure on Bhutan to resolve the issue, with satellite data collected by Indian intelligence and Bhutanese officials showing China has built military bases and entire villages in areas claimed by Bhutan, they said.

Bhutan, however, is wary of doing anything that could prompt it to get caught in the middle of a conflict between India and China, the people added. The nation plans to offer Beijing the prospect of eventual full diplomatic relations in return for demarcating the northern border, they said, allowing it to sidestep the issue of Doklam while stopping Chinese encroachment in other areas.