CNA Correspondent Podcast: Bhutan’s reputation as a utopia doesn’t reflect its gritty reality
Here’s an extract from the radio:  ,
Teresa Tang:  ,
One of the things you asked ( the Prime Minister of Bhutan ) Saksith, was how Bhutan navigates its relationship between its two massive neighbours, China and India. What aspect of what he said surprised you the most?  ,
Saksith Saiyasombut:
This was a topic that was n’t the easiest to approach. You could tell from everyone we spoke to about their great neighbors, in my opinion, because the narrative usually suggests that it’s a little level of country nestled between giants. So I believe they were moving very cautiously, no swaying one way or the other. You know, to put it into context, Bhutan, diplomatically speaking, does n’t have the biggest leverage. Only a few hundred countries in the world have diplomatic relations with it. India is the oldest pal of Bhutan, out of the other a select few nations that have embassy there as well. They had the most extended- standing political relationship going numerous, many, many decades. In many ways, it is being believed that because they are the biggest financial trading partner, India is a little like the great nephew of Bhutan. In the beginning of the political connections, India was offer, unquote, guiding Bhutan in its international plan.  ,
But finally compare that to the northeast, to China. There are no formal diplomatic relations either. However, there have been conflicts and disagreements regarding the frontier dividing line between Bhutan, China, and India, particularly in the western region of the nation, where there was a two-month conflict between Chinese and Indian soldiers. Although it was resolved largely happily, there are still border discussions between China and Bhutan. They have been continued, and they still keep continuing. This is also what makes India a tiny pessimistic about whether or not China is encroaching on Bhutan in some way or another. But much from me, come learn about what the Prime Minister had to suggest, what he’s thinking about Bhutan’s place in the world:
Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay:
” Bhutan is a small, landlocked nation sandwiched between companies all around us, not only China and India. Bangladesh and Nepal, greatly populated countries, densely populated countries, and we, if anything, perhaps are underpopulated. We have a very modest people. So we have our own element, and we understand our own path”.
Saksith Saiyasombut:
So in that sense, it’s kind of interesting when you think about it- what has n’t been said there, what they did n’t tell us. I think that’s the more important issue. Even though, despite all of that, this Prime Minister has a very close relation with Modi, this development is continued with Bhutan between India and China.  ,
