On the one hand, that makes sense; on the other, it would still be the first use of nuclear weapons since WW2. The last close calls, like Cuba, didn't even invo

On the one hand, that makes sense; on the other, it would still be the first use of nuclear weapons since WW2. The last close calls, like Cuba, didn't even involve any bombing, just the threat of one power's blockade against another's ships, and that one is widely seen as having come close to mutual destruction. I don't think that actually lobbing nukes at each other would be less dangerous. Also, accidents happen, and it's not clear how secure strategic weapons are against everything from a zealous airman to a submarine cut off from its command and having to make a judgment call. Daniel Ellsberg's book (The Doomsday Machine) suggests that this kind of accident during a crisis has come close to triggering a full nuclear war several times. To summarise, I'm sure the tactics look good for China, but escalating to nukes still seems like a suicidal move, considering the risk of accident or miscalculation.