China will have to take military way if India doesn't listen, warns expert

China will have no choice but resort to "military" option if India "refuses to listen", a Chinese expert has warned over the festering border row.

"China is trying its best to use historical lessons to reason with India and show sincerity in peacefully solving the problem, but if India refuses to listen, then China would have no other choice than to use a military way of solving the problem," Hu Zhiyong, a research fellow at the Shanghai Academy of Social Science, was quoted as saying by Global Times.

The state-run newspaper, on Monday, carried a report quoting "observers" that "there could be a chance of war if the recent conflict between China and India is not handled properly".

"India is provoking China because it wants to prove to the US it could contain China while Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in the US," Hu said.

Tensions between India and China have risen over the border row in Sikkim sector as both sides have refused budge in Doklam region, where the armies of both sides are engaged in a stand-off.

Doklam also referred to as Donglong by China is a disputed zone between Beijing and Thimphu.

Bhutan has opposed the road construction by the Chinese army, citing the disputed status of the region. China has called the action just since Donglong "is on Chinese territory".

India seconds Bhutan as the ownership of Doklam is yet to be decided. Moreover, the presence of Chinese army in Doklam has security implications for India as the region is close to Siliguri corridor, which connects India's northeast to the rest of the country.

--IANS

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