Pangda

{{main|2017 China–India border standoff}}

China has had ongoing claims to the Doklam region at the border between its Yadong County and Bhutan's Haa District near the trijunction with India. The region is the basin of a small stream called Doklam stream (also called Torsa Nala), which originates on the Doklam plateau and joins the Amo Chhu river 15 km downstream.

In 2017, Indian and Chinese forces skirmished on the Doklam plateau after China attempted to extend a road across the Doklam stream towards the Zhompelri ridge that overlooks the Indian plains.{{citation|author=Shaurya Karanbir Gurung|title=Behind China's Sikkim aggression, a plan to isolate Northeast from rest of India|date=3 July 2017|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/border-face-off-why-china-tries-to-break-chickens-neck-to-isolate-northeast/articleshow/59420472.cms/|newspaper=Economic Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170824145907/http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/border-face-off-why-china-tries-to-break-chickens-neck-to-isolate-northeast/articleshow/59420472.cms|archive-date=24 August 2017}} After several injuries on both sides, India and China withdrew their forces to previously held positions, effectively ending the standoff.[https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/india-withdraws-troops-from-disputed-himalayan-region-defusing-tension-with-china/2017/08/28/b92fddb6-8bc7-11e7-a2b0-e68cbf0b1f19_story.html India, China agree to pull back troops to resolve tense border dispute] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829011815/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/india-withdraws-troops-from-disputed-himalayan-region-defusing-tension-with-china/2017/08/28/b92fddb6-8bc7-11e7-a2b0-e68cbf0b1f19_story.html|date=29 August 2017}}, The Washington Post, 28 August 2017 Despite the disengagement, satellite imagery showed that China continued to develop the area and reinforce the disputed region.{{Cite web|author=James Griffiths and Manveena Suri|title=Satellite images appear to show China developing area along disputed border with India and Bhutan|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/24/asia/china-india-bhutan-doklam-intl-hnk/index.html|access-date=2020-11-24|website=CNN}}

Satellite images on 28 October 2020 showed a new village being constructed on the banks of Amo Chhu. Chinese state media claimed that residents moved into the new village in September 2020 from Shangdui village in Yadong county.{{Cite news|last=Krishnan|first=Ananth|date=2020-11-23|title=China’s media show new Bhutan border village built in disputed territory|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/chinas-media-show-new-bhutan-border-village-built-in-disputed-territory/article33162585.ece|access-date=2020-11-24|issn=0971-751X}}

In November 2020, media reports said that the village was constructed approximately {{Convert|2|km|mi|abbr=}} within Bhutanese territory based on third-party open source maps. The reports were denied by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Bhutanese, and the Bhutanese ambassador to India, who said that "there is no Chinese village inside Bhutan." Following the denial of Pangda's encroachment of the Bhutanese border, Chinese media portrayed the accusations as an attempt by India to sow discord between Bhutan and China and drive a wedge between the two nations.{{Cite news|last=Seidel|first=Jamie|date=25 November 2020|title=Photo reveals village that shouldn’t exist: Chinese village built on disputed territory in Bhutan|work=news.com.au|url=https://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/military/deleted-tweet-reveals-chinese-village-built-on-disputed-territory-in-bhutan/news-story/e3153e7b2cafec9e8fb1528399b88bec}}

Further construction took place in 2021. This primarily consisted of a cluster of 38 new buildings north of the primary settlement and was completed in November.{{Cite news |date=10 December 2021 |title=Sneak peek into new Chinese villages near Bhutan border |work=India Today |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/sneak-peek-new-chinese-villages-bhutan-border-1886442-2021-12-10 |access-date=27 March 2022}} The village was classified as xiaokang, or moderately well-off, according to official Chinese statements.{{Cite news |date=20 December 2021 |title=China encroaches into Bhutanese territory, may have similar plans in other neighbouring countries: Reports |work=ANI News |url=https://www.aninews.in/news/world/asia/china-encroaches-into-bhutanese-territory-may-have-similar-plans-in-other-neighbouring-countries-reports20211220213758/ |access-date=27 March 2022}}

Pangda village was constructed directly on the banks of the Torsa River, 10 km south of any other Chinese settlement in the region.{{Cite web|date=2020-12-06|title=Why so much interest in new village near the China-Bhutan-India border?|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3112712/near-china-bhutan-india-border-new-village-drawing-attention|access-date=2020-12-10|website=South China Morning Post|language=en}} It appears to have been constructed on a sandbank. There is one road that leads out of the village, and a small retaining wall was constructed to keep floodwaters out of the village.

According to Chinese state media in 2020, there were 27 households in the village with 124 people. There are two administrative buildings in the village, and the villagers are reported to be primarily employed in tourism, fishing, and border patrol.

{{OSM Location map|coord={{coord|27|18|25.1994|N|89|0|28.7994|E}}|float=center|label1=Pangda (庞达村)|height=200|width=400|zoom=10|mark-coord1={{coord|27|18|25.1994|N|89|0|28.7994|E}}|mark-description1=Chinese-administered village|mark-size1=8|mark-title1=Pangda (庞达村)|mark1=Red pog.svg}}

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Category:Bhutan–China border