Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reference to Balochistan in his Independence Day speech is the "latest concern" for China and among its scholars, Hu Shisheng, the director of the Institute of South and Southeast Asian and Oceanian Studies at China Institute of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR), said in an interview. "The latest concern for China is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech from the Red Fort in which he referred to the issues like Kashmir (occupied by Pakistan) and Balochistan," Hu said. "It could be regarded as a watershed moment in India's policy towards Pakistan. Why Chinese scholars are concerned is because this is for the first time India has mentioned it," he added.

The thinktank is among China's most powerful, and is affiliated with the country's ministry of state security The researcher also said India's growing military ties with the US and its changed attitude on the disputed South China Sea are ringing alarm bells for China. China's concerns primarily revolve around its $46 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) plan that runs from its western Xinjiang region to the Gwadar Arabian Sea port in Balochistan. Hu said China feared India may "use anti-government elements" in Balochistan, where Beijing is building CPEC -a key to the success of its ambitious `One Road, One Belt' project. "If this kind of plot causes damage to CPEC, China will have to get involved," he said, referring to the alleged invol vement of India in backing separatists in Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. He also said China is unlikely to change its policy in South Asia.