Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R) meets with Bhutan’s Prime Minster Jigmi Y. Thinley in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, June 21, 2012.

RIO DE JANEIRO, June 21 (Xinhua) — Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and his Bhutanese counterpart, Jigmi Y. Thinley, on Thursday expressed willingness to establish formal diplomatic ties between their countries.

The two leaders met here on the sidelines of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, known as the Rio+20 summit, which started Wednesday afternoon.

Wen said China highly appreciates Bhutan’s staunch support of China’s position on issues concerning Taiwan and Tibet. More…