Part 12/17:
The Role of China and the Probability of Regional Nuclei
Shea discusses China's strict stance on regional nuclear proliferation, especially regarding Taiwan or Japan. He believes that any move by Taiwan to acquire nuclear weapons would provoke an immediate and likely military response—an invasion or blockade—to prevent such escalation.
China’s perspective is driven by regime security. Shea emphasizes that China's regime perceives Taiwan as an existential threat, given its symbolic challenge to CCP authority. As a regime prioritized on survival and power, China would react decisively to prevent its neighbors from developing nuclear deterrence that could shift regional stability.