Editing Foreign relations of Bhutan (section)

==Asia==
===Bangladesh===
{{Main article|Bangladesh-Bhutan relations}}

[[Bangladesh]] is one of only three nations to maintain a residential embassy in Thimphu. Bhutan was the first country in the world to recognize [[Bangladesh Liberation War|Bangladeshi independence]] in 1971. The two states have agreed to develop [[hydropower]] in the Himalayas, as well as initiate [[free trade]] and [[transshipment]] through Bangladeshi ports. They also cooperate in water resources management.
Both Bhutan and Bangladesh are members of [[South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation|SAARC]] and [[Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation|BIMSTEC]].

===China===
{{Main article|Bhutan–China relations}}

Bhutan has no diplomatic relations with its northern neighbor, the [[China|People's Republic of China]], and is one of the few countries that do not recognise or have relations with either of the [[Two Chinas]]. The border between Bhutan and the PRC has been closed since the [[Battle of Chamdo|invasion of Tibet]] in 1950, which caused an influx of refugees. The border also remains undelineated; in 1961 China published a map that altered the traditional border.<ref>{{cite book |title= Nepal and Bhutan: country studies |publisher=[[Federal Research Division]] |last1=Savada |first1=Andrea Matles |last2=Harris |first2=George Lawrence |year=1993 |url=http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gdc/cntrystd.bt |page=332 |quote=The specter of renewed Chinese claims to Bhutan, Sikkim, and Nepal was raised after China published a map in 1961 that showed alterations of traditional Sino-Bhutanese and other Himalayan borders in Beijing's favor}}</ref> Tensions have since lessened, especially after an agreement on border peace and tranquility was signed in 1998: the first bilateral agreement between China and Bhutan. Despite the lack of formal diplomatic relations, Bhutan has also maintained an Honorary Consul in [[Macau]] since 2000 and in [[Hong Kong]] since 2004.

In late 2005, Bhutan claimed that [[People's Liberation Army|PLA]] soldiers were building roads and bridges within Bhutanese territory. Bhutanese Foreign Minister Khandu Wangchuk took up the matter with Chinese authorities after the issue was raised in the Bhutanese parliament. In response, Foreign Ministry spokesman [[Qin Gang]] of the People's Republic of China has said that the border remains in dispute and that the two sides are continuing to work for a peaceful and cordial resolution of the dispute.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.china.com/zh_cn/domestic/945/20051201/12906175.html |title=中国不丹同意平等友好协商早日解决边界问题 |trans-title=China and Bhutan agree to equal and friendly consultations to resolve the border issue as soon as possible |publisher=China.com News |date=1 December 2005 |access-date=29 March 2011 |archive-date=25 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090925120828/http://news.china.com/zh_cn/domestic/945/20051201/12906175.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Bhutanese newspaper ''Kuensel'' has said that China might use the roads to further Chinese claims along the border.<ref>[http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/7598_1583871,000500020006.htm Hindustan times article]  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071229111417/http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/7598_1583871%2C000500020006.htm |date=29 December 2007 }}</ref>

===India===
{{Main article|Bhutan–India relations}}

Historically, ties with India have been close. Both countries signed a first ever Friendship treaty in 1865 between Bhutan and British India. When Bhutan became a monarchy, British India was the first country to recognize it and renewed the treaty in 1910. Bhutan was the first country to recognize Indian independence and renewed the age old treaty with the new government in 1949, including a clause that India would assist Bhutan in foreign relations. On 8 February 2007, the Indo-Bhutan Friendship Treaty<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mea.gov.in/pressrelease/2007/03/treaty.pdf |title=Indo-Bhutan Friendship Treaty |publisher=[[Government of India]]}}</ref> was substantially revised under the Bhutanese King, [[Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck]]. In the Treaty of 1949 Article 2 read as "The Government of India undertakes to exercise no interference in the internal administration of Bhutan. On its part the Government of Bhutan agrees to be guided by the advice of the Government of India in regard to its external relations."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mea.gov.in/treatiesagreement/1949/chap26.htm |title=Treaty of 1949 |publisher=[[Government of India]] |year=1949}}</ref> In the revised treaty this now reads as, "In keeping with the abiding ties of close friendship and cooperation between Bhutan and India, the Government of the Kingdom of Bhutan and the Government of the Republic of India shall cooperate closely with each other on issues relating to their national interests. Neither government shall allow the use of its territory for activities harmful to the national security and interest of the other." The revised treaty also includes in it the preamble "Reaffirming their respect for each other's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity", an element that was absent in the earlier version. The Indo-Bhutan Friendship Treaty of 2007 strengthens Bhutan's status as an independent and sovereign nation.

There also exists bi-lateral agreement between Bhutanese and Indian Government wherein citizens of both nations can travel freely in other country without passport or visa.

===Indonesia===
Diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Bhutan were officially established on December 15, 2011. The joint communiqué was signed by Bhutan's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), [[Lhatu Wangchuk]], and Indonesia's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN, [[Hasan Kleib]], in New York.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Establishment of diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of Bhutan and the Republic of Indonesia – Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade |url=https://www.mfa.gov.bt/establishment-of-diplomatic-relations-between-the-kingdom-of-bhutan-and-the-republic-of-indonesia/ |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=www.mfa.gov.bt}}</ref> Diplomatic affairs between Indonesia and Bhutan are handled by the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia (KBRI) in New Delhi, India.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Accreditation Area - Ministry of Foreign Affairs Portal |url=https://fe-non-production.apps.opppd2-dev.layanan.go.id/perwakilan/44f683a84163b3523afe57c2e008bc8c?type=perwakilan-detail |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=fe-non-production.apps.opppd2-dev.layanan.go.id}}</ref>

===Israel===
{{Main|Bhutan-Israel relations}}

[[Bhutan]] and [[Israel]] established formal diplomatic relations in 2020, with the key areas of cooperation being economic, technological and agricultural development.<ref>{{cite web|agency=Agence France-Presse|date=12 December 2020|title=Israel establishes 'formal diplomatic relations' with Bhutan|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/12/israel-establishes-formal-diplomatic-relations-with-bhutan|access-date=15 December 2020|website=the Guardian|language=en}}</ref>

===Nepal===
{{Main article|Bhutan-Nepal relations}}

[[Kingdom of Nepal|Nepal]] and Bhutan established relations in 1983. However, since 1992, relations with Nepal have been tense due to the repatriation of [[Bhutanese refugees|refugees from Bhutan]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=November 2005|title=Country Profile: Nepal|url=https://www.loc.gov/rr/frd/cs/profiles/Nepal.pdf|access-date=5 November 2020|publisher=[[Federal Research Division]], [[Library of Congress]]}}</ref>

===Philippines===
The [[Philippines]] and Bhutan have no formal relations yet. The Philippines has an embassy in New Delhi, India as representative to dialogues with Bhutan. Numerous senators and high-profile personalities from the Philippines have visited Bhutan and have been pushing for the Gross National Happiness to also be applied in the Philippines, citing its effectiveness and efficiency in nation-building, environmental and cultural conservation, and human rights upholding. Filipina senator [[Loren Legarda]], a [[United Nations]] Global Champion for Resilience, has been pushing for greater diplomatic relations between the two countries. In September 2014, the Prime Minister of Bhutan visited the Philippines and the [[Asian Development Bank]] headquarters in Manila.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.adb.org/news/bhutan-prime-minister-visits-adb-celebrate-three-decade-partnership |title = Bhutan Prime Minister Visits ADB to Celebrate Three-Decade Partnership|date = 5 September 2014}}</ref> In 2018, the Philippines sent its engineers to Bhutan's capital in a bid to develop Bhutan's space program that will be launched in May.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.kuenselonline.com/bhutan-1-expected-to-be-in-space-by-may/ | title=BHUTAN-1 expected to be in space by May}}</ref>{{failed verification|date=December 2020}}

===South Korea===
Bhutan and South Korea established formal relations on 24 September 1987.<ref>{{cite web |title=Press Release |url=https://www.mfa.gov.bt/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Press-Release-BD.pdf |website=Ministry of Foreign Affairs |publisher=Government of Bhutan |access-date=22 March 2021 |language=en}}</ref> South Korea granted Bhutan a total of US$6.21 million in aid between 1987 and 2012. Imports into South Korea are about $382,000 and imports into Bhutan are about $3.27 million ({{as of|2012|lc=y}}).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.mofa.go.kr/ENG/countries/asiapacific/countries/20071018/1_24406.jsp?menu=m_30_10 |title=Bhutan |access-date=12 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904015758/http://www.mofa.go.kr/ENG/countries/asiapacific/countries/20071018/1_24406.jsp?menu=m_30_10 |archive-date=4 September 2015 |url-status=dead |website=Ministry of Foreign Affairs |publisher=Government of South Korea |language=en }}</ref>