National flag of Bhutan [Photo/Agencies]

On the morning of July 1 local time, U.S. President Obama announced the renewal of diplomatic relations with Cuba. Thus Bhutan, a country that has never established diplomatic relations with the U.S. and China, is now coming to the world’s spotlight.

What makes Bhutan’s foreign affairs so different? Let’s turn to history for the answers.

In 1949, Bhutan and India signed a "Permanent Peace and Friendship Treaty", stipulating that India would guide Bhutan’s internal and external affairs. In fact, there are only 20 countries that have established diplomatic ties with Bhutan and none of these 20 countries is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

Bhutan lies on the border of Yadong County in southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region. It is a picturesque country with a population of over 700,000 people and an area of nearly 40,000 square kilometers.

Though they are neighbors, Bhutan and China have not established diplomatic relations. But the two countries have maintained friendly relations, which have gone beyond many people’s imaginations.

Historically, Bhutan was once a vassal state of China. It was part of the Tubo (Tibet, 618-842) territory in the 8th century, and became part of China from the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) until the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), when it gradually began to split off due to its weakening national power.

The Kingdom of Bhutan means "border of Tibet" in Sanskrit; it is also known as "the dragon country", and there is a large dragon on the national flag, from which one can see a connection with China. Bhutan and China’s Tibet share a similar language, customs, and culture, and most Bhutanese are followers of Tibetan Buddhism.

In September 2010, Bhutanese Sungtrul Rinpoche made a pilgrimage to Tibet. In recent years, Princess Dechen Wangmo Wangchuk of Bhutan made pilgrimages to Tibet and Mt. Wutai (located in Shanxi Province, known as a sacred mountain in Buddhism).