I always figured that the thing the Chinese fear most is a nuclear armed Japan. But that’s what they’ll get if they aren’t careful.
Without the Americans and Japanese to check them, the Chinese are starting to throw their weight around, but I bet they still fear the potential of Japan.
Japan can put a satellite in orbit around the moon. I’m sure they could put a warhead in Beijing if need be. China knows this; they also know that their mega-cities would be sitting ducks in a nuclear exchange.
It’s a MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD world.