Bhutan is a neighbor of China, located in the southeastern Himalayas, bordering China's three provinces of Yunnan, Tibet and Sichuan. Since ancient times, China and Burundi have maintained friendly relations. However, in recent years, Bhutan has not established formal diplomatic relations with China, which puzzles many.
To understand this issue, we first need to understand the history and current situation of Bhutan. Bhutan is a small country with a population of less than 8 million and a land area of only 39,700 square kilometers. Once a vassal state of the British Empire and later a protectorate of India, it did not declare independence until 2008. Prior to independence, Bhutan had relied on economic assistance and military protection from India.
Bhutan's domestic political system is a constitutional monarchy, with the king being the supreme leader of the country. Bhutan's politics, economy, culture and society are influenced by traditions and religions. Bhutan is the only country in the world that has made national happiness a national development goal, which is what the Bhutan government has always emphasized.
So why has not had diplomatic relations with China?
There are many factors involved in this issue. First, Bhutan has a very close relationship with India, which is Bhutan's largest donor and trading partner. Prior to Bhutan's independence, India had provided economic, military and political support to Bhutan and was Bhutan's most reliable ally. As such, Bhutan's relationship with India is considered central to Bhutan's foreign policy. A road has been built between Bhutan and India, which has greatly helped Bhutan's economic development.
In addition, India has been an important military donor to Bhutan, helping Bhutan build a small but capable army and ensuring Bhutan's national security.
Second, Bhutan has also been vigilant about China's development and rise. China has made significant investments and infrastructure in Bhutan's surrounding areas, activities that Bhutanese officials believe could pose a threat to Bhutan's national security. In addition, there are some territorial disputes between Bhutan and China, such as the dispute in the eastern part of Asia.
In addition, the Bhutanese government has always emphasized the protection and inheritance of its own culture and traditions, believing that the establishment of diplomatic relations with China may have an impact on Bhutan's culture and values. Bhutan's religious culture and traditions are very unique and their protection is an important task for the Bhutanese Government. His Government had therefore maintained an independent and neutral attitude and did not wish to become involved in the complex situation of international politics.
Finally, transportation and communication between Bhutan and China is very inconvenient. Bhutan is located in the Himalayas and is inaccessible. Although there are some roads and bridges between China and Bhutan, traffic is often affected due to the difficult terrain and harsh climate, making it difficult to ensure safety and smooth flow.
In general, there are many reasons why Bhutan has not established diplomatic relations with China. Bhutan's ties with India are very close, and Chinese activities around Bhutan are also worrying Bhutan. Moreover, the Government of Bhutan had always stressed the protection of its culture and traditions and did not wish to become involved in the complex situation of international politics. However, with the rise of China and the economic development of Bhutan, there is still a lot of room for the future development of diplomatic relations between Bhutan and China.