Bhutan´s hydropower system - the real China target in Doklam issue with India ?

The Kingdom of Bhutan, also known as the Land of the Thunder Dragon, is a tiny landlocked country between China and India in the Eastern Himalaya with strong cultural and religious connection with Tibet. China and Bhutan has no diplomatic relations and there are many border disputes between the two states.

The border between China and Bhutan is many times closed, there are a lot of trade embargoes and during the history Bhutan has established really strong military ties with the south neighbor India.

The last tension arised when China started a month ago to construct a road inside the Buthanese territory. China denied any violation, stating that the so called Doklam has been a part of China since ancient times and Bhutan and India can not have any claim about that.

India answer was very quick and many Indian soldiers were sent to the area to prevent China expansion, but the Doklam area is just on the south of Buthan and no one is really protecting the enormous north border between China and Buthan. It could happen that India will protect its interest opposing with military force the chinese on the direct borders, but ......by the end the realistic scenario could be that Bhutan will be just invaded (not necessary starting with soldiers, but with investments) by China and simply, very slowly integrated in chinese sphere of influence, cutting relationship with India.

China today´s strategy is not just military intervention, but also state supported investment programs, industrial and agriculture plans, which many times are helping directly or indirectly to destabilize some regions. And Bhutan has one of the strategic resources which is massively exporting to India, but very interesting also for China, the hydro power . Hydropower in Bhutan has been a major export and revenue carrier for the last two decades. The sector drives the national economy and contributes to almost 25 per cent of GDP and around 40 per cent of total national revenue. Taking over the control on that will not just fit with chinese energetic plans, but will create a big problem to Indians industry, which are completely relying on this source of energy.

photo by Lanka