<div>Chinese scholars are "deeply disturbed" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent reference to Balochistan, a senior expert today said as he warned of joint steps by China and Pakistan if an "Indian factor" disrupts the USD 46 billion CPEC, with the region as its hub.<br /><br />"My personal view is that if India is adamant and if Indian factor is found by China or Pakistan in disrupting the process of CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor), if that becomes a reality, it will really become a disturbance to China-India relations, India-Pakistan relations," South Asia expert Hu Shisheng said.<br /><br />"If that happens China and Pakistan could have no other way but take united steps. I want to say that the Pakistan factor could surge again to become the most disturbing factor in China-India relations, even more than the Tibet, border and trade imbalance issues," he told PTI here.<br /><br />Hu, director of state-run think-tank Institute of South and Southeast Asian and Oceanian Studies at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations affiliated to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said such a scenario could be very disappointing to all the scholars relating to India-China relations.<br /><br />"All the three countries could be badly derailed from their current facts of economic and social development. It could be very bad," he said.<br /><br />Expressing concern over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reference to the human rights situation in Balochistan in his Independence Day address, he said Chinese scholars were "deeply disturbed by the reference".<br /><br />The Chinese Foreign Ministry has so far has not commented on Modi's references to Balochistan, which is the hub of CPEC connecting China's Xinjiang province with Pakistan.<br /><br />"I think the two countries (China and Pakistan) will do whatsoever to enhance the security and smooth construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. But what kind of forms I have no idea.<br /><br />"I am just wondering whether military involvement could be one of the choice but in my personal view, it is very unlikely," he said in response to a question on the nature of China's involvement and maintained that the views are his personal made in the interest of India-China relations.<br /><br />He also said China is unlikely to change its policy in South Asia. Besides a host of energy-related projects, the CPEC consists of rail, road and pipelines to ferry oil and gas from Balochistan port Gwadar to Kashghar in Xinjiang through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).<br /><br />Welcoming the formation of the special mechanism for talks during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's recent visit to India to resolve differences, Hu said the two sides can hold wide-ranging talks on CPEC, NSG and India's bid to ban Pakistan-based JeM chief Masood Azhar in the UN.</div>
<div>Chinese scholars are "deeply disturbed" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent reference to Balochistan, a senior expert today said as he warned of joint steps by China and Pakistan if an "Indian factor" disrupts the USD 46 billion CPEC, with the region as its hub.<br /><br />"My personal view is that if India is adamant and if Indian factor is found by China or Pakistan in disrupting the process of CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor), if that becomes a reality, it will really become a disturbance to China-India relations, India-Pakistan relations," South Asia expert Hu Shisheng said.<br /><br />"If that happens China and Pakistan could have no other way but take united steps. I want to say that the Pakistan factor could surge again to become the most disturbing factor in China-India relations, even more than the Tibet, border and trade imbalance issues," he told PTI here.<br /><br />Hu, director of state-run think-tank Institute of South and Southeast Asian and Oceanian Studies at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations affiliated to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said such a scenario could be very disappointing to all the scholars relating to India-China relations.<br /><br />"All the three countries could be badly derailed from their current facts of economic and social development. It could be very bad," he said.<br /><br />Expressing concern over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reference to the human rights situation in Balochistan in his Independence Day address, he said Chinese scholars were "deeply disturbed by the reference".<br /><br />The Chinese Foreign Ministry has so far has not commented on Modi's references to Balochistan, which is the hub of CPEC connecting China's Xinjiang province with Pakistan.<br /><br />"I think the two countries (China and Pakistan) will do whatsoever to enhance the security and smooth construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. But what kind of forms I have no idea.<br /><br />"I am just wondering whether military involvement could be one of the choice but in my personal view, it is very unlikely," he said in response to a question on the nature of China's involvement and maintained that the views are his personal made in the interest of India-China relations.<br /><br />He also said China is unlikely to change its policy in South Asia. Besides a host of energy-related projects, the CPEC consists of rail, road and pipelines to ferry oil and gas from Balochistan port Gwadar to Kashghar in Xinjiang through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).<br /><br />Welcoming the formation of the special mechanism for talks during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's recent visit to India to resolve differences, Hu said the two sides can hold wide-ranging talks on CPEC, NSG and India's bid to ban Pakistan-based JeM chief Masood Azhar in the UN.</div>