MAD is only a concern between the US and Russia. No other nuclear-capable nation has enough devices available to literally carpet bomb another nation with nuclear ICBMs, and thanks to the Cold War we (and the Russians) have missile defenses sufficient to completely stop anything less than a full launch from the other.
China would also have to be quite foolish to respond to even a limited strike from the US with a full launch. In the strategic targets arena China has a glass jaw called the Three Gorges Dam - and more importantly everything downriver from it. If they wanted to play the MAD game, we would only have to get one large conventional warhead into the base of that sucker and China's entire industrial base, manufacturing capability, and ability to function as a nation (along with about half a billion people) gets washed out to sea in something resembling an inland tsunami.
ETA: My point here is not to support blowing up the Great Wall, simply that the CCP is certainly also aware of these disparities; and if the USA (or Russia) were to do something as crazy as destroying a major Chinese cultural landmark the CCP would also be aware that a nuclear response is going to result in them no longer being a functional world power without much effect on the attacking nation.
MAD is only a concern between the US and Russia. No other nuclear-capable nation has enough devices available to literally carpet bomb another nation with nuclear ICBMs, and thanks to the Cold War we (and the Russians) have missile defenses sufficient to completely stop anything less than a full launch from the other.
China would also have to be quite foolish to respond to even a limited strike from the US with a full launch. In the strategic targets arena China has a glass jaw called the Three Gorges Dam - and more importantly everything downriver from it. If they wanted to play the MAD game, we would only have to get one large conventional warhead into the base of that sucker and China's entire industrial base, manufacturing capability, and ability to function as a nation (along with about half a billion people) gets washed out to sea in something resembling an inland tsunami.
ETA: My point here is not to support blowing up the Great Wall, simply that the CCP is certainly also aware of these disparities; and if the USA (or Russia) were to do something as crazy as destroying a major Chinese landmark the CCP would also be aware that a nuclear response is going to result in them no longer being a functional world power without much effect on the attacking nation.
MAD is only a concern between the US and Russia. No other nuclear-capable nation has enough devices available to literally carpet bomb another nation with nuclear ICBMs, and thanks to the Cold War we (and the Russians) have missile defenses sufficient to completely stop anything less than a full launch from the other.
China would also have to be quite foolish to respond to even a limited strike from the US with a full launch. In the strategic targets arena China has a glass jaw called the Three Gorges Dam - and more importantly everything downriver from it. If they wanted to play the MAD game, we would only have to get one large conventional warhead into the base of that sucker and China's entire industrial base, manufacturing capability, and ability to function as a nation (along with about half a billion people) gets washed out to sea in something resembling an inland tsunami.
MAD is only a concern between the US and Russia. No other nuclear-capable nation has enough devices available to literally carpet bomb another nation with nuclear ICBMs, and thanks to the Cold War we (and the Russians) have missile defenses sufficient to completely stop anything less than a full launch from the other.