Bhutan Prime Minister: No Chinese Embassy Anytime Soon
Bhutan’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay gave an interview to New Delhi Television a day after India’s new prime minister Narendra Modi paid a visit to Bhutan’s capital city, Thimpu.
PM Tobgay spoke glowingly about Bhutan’s friendship with India and mentioned pride that Bhutan was chosen for Modi’s first visit to a foreign land after being sworn into office in May. Modi also met with King Jigme Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema. HIs visit was seen by strategic since China has sought to improve its relationship with Bhutan, even wishing to establish diplomatic ties.
When questioned on that topic, Tobgay emphatically said: “We don’t even have diplomatic relations! How can you open an embassy without diplomatic relations?” He said that there were still border issues that needed to be resolved with China. Bhutan and India are the only two nations with which China has still not been able to resolve border disputes.
It is refreshing to see a leader offer absolutely no spin on his answers. When redirected, a reply of “I have answered your question” seems, in our society, like a missed opportunity, but actually comes across as much stronger. I hope that it works well for his country and him.
agree — he was most polite and it came off very nicely.
Random info: This PM is 48. The King is 34 and the Queen is 24.
I believe that some would say that Tibet and China have an unresolved border dispute.