evidence: A Bhutanese delegation led by Foreign Minister Tandi Dorji held the 25th round of boundary talks with Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Sun Weidong on October 23-24. [...] China's construction activity has essentially changed the reality of the ground, allowing it to hold talks with Bhutan from a position of strength. In 2017, the Chinese and Indian army were locked in a face-off in the Doklam region, traditionally a Bhutanese territory. China has established permanent military structures in Doklam and has called the region its territory while demanding that Bhutan include it in talks to swap other territory. [...] "The Bhutan Prime Minister's statement on the border issue in July indicated that Bhutan will give China some or most of the western border areas that China is demanding—and in several cases has already occupied. But the PM said it will not give up Doklam unless India agrees," Robert Barnett, a professorial research associate at SOAS, University of London, wrote on X, formerly Twitter.