Despite the ongoing border talks between the two nations, China is apparently moving forward with the construction of border communities in the disputed territory with Bhutan. The South China Morning Post of Hong Kong reported on Sunday that at least three villages—some of which have doubled in size—had been established in the hilly area dividing the two nations.

The report cited officials from the ruling Chinese Communist Party as stating that although the rapid expansion started as a plan to reduce poverty, it also serves a dual national security purpose.

According to the article, eighteen new Chinese residents were reportedly waiting to move into their recently constructed homes in a remote Himalayan village that is inside a border zone that China and Bhutan have long disputed.

Everybody had a newly framed picture with them.

Notably, after the two nations signed a “Cooperation Agreement” defining the roles and responsibilities of the Joint Technical Team (JTT) on the Delimitation and Demarcation of the Bhutan-China Boundary in October of last year, China is moving forward with its plan to build border villages along its disputed border with Bhutan.

During the 25th Round of Boundary Talks between China and Bhutan, which included talks with China’s former ambassador to India and vice foreign minister Sun Weidong, the agreement was signed by Bhutanese Foreign Minister Dr. Tandi Dorji.

Although there are no formal diplomatic ties between China and Bhutan, officials do occasionally visit each other to keep in touch.

China has settled its boundary issues with all twelve of its neighbours, but only two remain: India and Bhutan.

Given that the road would have harmed India’s overall security interests due to its proximity to the tiny Siliguri Corridor, popularly known as the Chicken Neck, which connects India with its northeastern area, India fiercely opposed the Chinese military’s construction of the road at the Doklam triangular junction.

Beijing’s decision to abandon its plan to construct the road broke the impasse.

By rejecting funding for the project, China made a startling assertion about Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary in Bhutan in 2020 at the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Council.

Bhutan protested China’s claim to the sanctuary during the GEF summit by sending a demarche to the Chinese Embassy in India.

According to the Post article, the communities were intended to improve living circumstances as part of China’s state-led initiative to reduce poverty, but

By the end of 2021, which was Xi’s deadline for the party’s centenary aim of reducing poverty in the nation, more than 620 “border moderate prosperity villages” had been constructed, according to the official Communist Party newspaper, People’s Daily.

The settlements’ twin role of defending the border and providing modern homes has been attributed to the party’s highest levels by local leaders and state media.