Talk:Bhutan–China border

Mapping

@Kautilya3::

His Majesty the King explained to the members of National Assembly that there were, basically, four disputed areas between Bhutan and China.

Starting from Doklam in the west the border goes along the ridges from Gamochen to Batangla, Sinchela, and down to the Amo Chhu. The disputed area in Doklam covered 89 square kilometers.

The disputed areas in Sinchulumpa and Gieu covered about 180 sq. km. The boundary line in this area starts from Langmarpo Zam and goes along the stream up to Docherimchang and up the ridge to Gomla from where it goes along the ridge to Pangkala and then down to the Dramana stream. From Dramana the boundary goes up to Zingula and then follows the ridge line down to Gieu Chhu from where it goes to Lungkala.

In the middle sector in Pasamlum, the boundary goes along the ridge to Dompala and to Neula. From Neula the boundary follows the ridge line to Kurichhu Tshozam, and then follows the ridge line to Genla from where it goes to Mela and onwards to the east.
— https://web.archive.org/web/20050208131343/http://www.kuenselonline.com/assembly/boundary.php

Can we all have the key points mapped? TrangaBellam (talk) 12:51, 25 September 2021 (UTC)

We don't have authoritative information about most of the places mentioned here. But the rough idea is as follows. He is mentioning three disputed areas: Doklam, Sinchulumpa and Gieu.

• We know Doklam well.
• Gieu, I believe, is the egg-shaped disputed region shown in the infobox map. Dramana (Bjamarnang) and Shakatoe (Sharkatoe) are valleys in it. They are actually its boundaries.
• Sinchulumpa, which I can parse as "Sinchu Lungpa", means some valley below Sinchela (also spelt "Sinchula"). It probably covers the rest of the area that China used to claim adjacent to Doklam. (China now claims a lot more.)

The second map in this article is accurate, as far as it covers things. -- Kautilya3 (talk) 17:25, 25 September 2021 (UTC)

About Gieu: I have no idea except there is one mountain named Gieu Gang, bordering the eastern end of Shakyapassang Valley, which prim. serves as a stopover camp for some treks in Bhutan. TrangaBellam (talk) 18:43, 25 September 2021 (UTC)

The recently produced 1:25000 digital toposheets of Bhutan are not available for public view, in case of disputed areas. (1) The 1:50000 ones produced in '91 by manual surveys (and borrowing certain data from aerial surveys of GOI in '61) encompassed these disputed regions (2) - I need scans. TrangaBellam (talk) 19:59, 25 September 2021 (UTC)

Kautilya3, which numbers (check link 2) are sufficient enough for having an idea of all border disputes? TrangaBellam (talk) 20:11, 25 September 2021 (UTC)

For the Chumbi Valley border: (the most important ones in bold)

• From 78E, we need cells 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
• From 78A, we need cell 16, and 15 would be useful.

For the northern border, I am not quite sure. So I am guessing.

• From 77L, we need cells 4, 8, 12, 16
• From 78I, we need cell 13.
• From 78M, we need cell 1.

It is great that you have access to a solid library! -- Kautilya3 (talk) 21:01, 25 September 2021 (UTC)

I had my doubts on the northern border, too - most importantly, I am massively misinterpreting something or the relevant outline has significantly altered in these three decades. TrangaBellam (talk) 14:40, 26 September 2021 (UTC)

The hat-like region containing Kula Kangri has already been all but ceded to China. But the King's statement probably includes it. However, I didn't include it my list above. We are more intersted in the Jakarlung and Pasamlung regions, the latter of which was recently occupied by China. -- Kautilya3 (talk) 14:49, 26 September 2021 (UTC)

References