China Constructs Villages Near Doklam in Bhutan: Satellite Data Reveals

China Constructs Villages Near Doklam in Bhutan: Continuing with its construction spree, China has built at least one more village on Bhutanese territory, near the tri-junction with India, taking the total number of such constructions to six, the latest satellite images have revealed.

Citing experts who had studied the locations of the new construction and recent images taken by satellite imagery firm Capella Space, the report said all six settlements “appear to be in territory disputed by China and Bhutan — including a contested tract of roughly 110 square kilometers — with little in the way of resources or native population”.

In a statement to the news agency, Bhutan’s foreign ministry refused to speak on the matter, saying, “It is Bhutan’s policy not to talk about boundary issues in public.”

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China’s foreign ministry said the construction is “entirely for the improvement of the working and living conditions of the local people”.

In a tweet, @detresfa said there is evidence of “new villages and accommodation similar to what was seen in Pangda village, Bhutan” near Bum La. The relocation of people to these villages “promises China with better border surveillance and patrols through a network of herders”, the tweet said.

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The new construction on Bhutanese soil particularly worries India since India has historically advised Bhutan on its External Relations policy and continues to train its armed forces. Bhutan has faced constant Chinese pressure to renegotiate its land boundaries -- the contours of this agreement have never been entirely spelled out and it remains to be seen if the construction of these new villages on its soil is a part of this agreement.

The Doklam plateau was in the limelight in 2017 when the Indian Army and China's PLA were locked in a stand-off for over 70 days. The Chinese had to retreat from the area after the Indian troops contested the plateau. Doklam is an area of 100 sq km comprising a plateau and a valley at the tri-junction between India, China and Bhutan. It is circled by the Chumbi Valley of Tibet, Bhutan's Ha Valley and India's Sikkim.

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