Context

In the latest development, China and Bhutan have agreed to continue to maintain peace and stability in the border areas before the final settlement of their boundary issues.

About

The Dispute

• Bhutan shares over a 400-km-long border with China and the two countries have held 24 rounds of boundary talks in a bid to resolve the dispute.
• The Boundary Talks between Bhutan and China began in 1984 and both countries have signed
  • the Guiding Principles on the Settlement of the Boundary Issues in 1988
  • the Agreement on Maintenance of Peace and Tranquillity along with the border areas in 1998
• These two agreements form the basis of the boundary negotiation between Bhutan and China.
  

India’s stake in the region

• India maintains close ties with the tiny Himalayan neighbor.
• Doklam, an area close to the India-Bhutan-China tri-junction, had witnessed a standoff between Indian and Chinese armies.
• The area is of strategic importance to all three nations.