Direct translation
Planning something evil? Satellite images show CCP construction in disputed territory of Bhutan
Reporter : Li Zhaoxi / Editor : Lin Qing / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2023/12/14/a103834078.html / Image : Tourists take photos at the historic Punakha Dzong administrative centre in Bhutan on 24 August 2018. (Arun Sakar/AFP via Getty Images)
CCP China is actively engaged in expansion. Satellite photos show that the CCP is engaged in large-scale construction projects in neighbouring Bhutan. Beijing is trying to strike a major land deal with Bhutan, a small kingdom in the Himalayas.
Photos taken by imaging provider Maxar Technologies on 7 December 2023 show that the Chinese Communist country is building settlements along its disputed border with Bhutan, raising tensions in the Himalayan region.
John Pollock, an expert at the London think tank Chatham House, said that multiple projects are underway, and the Chinese Communist Party’s settlement projects in northern Bhutan have significantly increased.
Pollock pointed to the emergence of a new Chinese outpost in the Jakarlung Valley, which was confirmed by a Maxar image.
"With the help of Maxar, China (Chinese Communist Party)'s new actions can be seen in the Jakarlung Valley (in the image) in northern Bhutan." Pollock emphasized on X.
Separately, multiple projects have also been discovered in the Menchuma valley, raising concerns that Thimphu may be close to ceding land to Beijing in an expected China-Bhutan border deal.
Bhutan and China are negotiating a new border agreement, with Bhutan expected to recognize land encroached by Beijing in Jakalong and the adjacent Menchuma Valley.
China’s territorial claims to Bhutan include four regions in the west, three regions in the north and the Sakteng region in the east. It is worth noting that the CCP is actively fighting for Beyul Khenpajong and Menchuma Valley in the north, and the CCP’s official map also includes the Chagdzom area as part of its territory.
The CCP’s construction of settlements or outposts in these disputed areas, coupled with speculation about the imminent signing of a border agreement between Bhutan and the CCP, has intensified global attention and concerns about China’s actions.
Any land swap deal between Beijing and Thimphu could have direct implications for India, and New Delhi is keeping a close eye on Bhutan's potential negotiations with Beijing.
An analysis published this week by Indian news channel NDTV showed that one settlement built by the Chinese Communist Party in the Jakalong Valley has at least 129 buildings and another enclave has 62. The buildings appear to be residential areas, suggesting that the area will likely become a permanent Chinese settlement.
Open source analytics expert Damien Symon told Newsweek that China is building an "ecosystem" of villages in northern Bhutan. These facilities in the upper Jakaron Valley were the first of their kind.
“The sheer scale of this development demonstrates that these villages are not just isolated outposts but part of an integrated ecosystem, underscoring China’s territorial ambitions and further contributing to the Sinicization of the Bhutanese landscape.” Simon explained.
Simon said ongoing border negotiations could have a significant impact on the status of Bhutan's northern valley, and potential concessions made by Thimphu to Beijing on the Jakalong and Menchuma issues could significantly undermine Bhutan's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Robert Barnett, professor of Tibetan history at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, told New Delhi TV that the Jhakarung Valley area has religious and cultural significance for Bhutan.
Barnett said Jhakarung is adjacent to Beyul Khenpajong, which is an important cultural and religious area for the Bhutanese people. As a result, China is attempting to plunder culturally important areas of its neighbour, knowing that this neighbour has few options and no ability to fight back.
No comments:
Post a Comment