A great essay by Valerie Niquet at The Diplomat, November 6, 2021, at https://thediplomat.com/2021/11/chinas-nuclear-gambit/
As the essay is at a paysite here is the first sentence only:
"Don’t be distracted by the aerial incursions and naval build-ups – the real action is China’s nuclear build-up, in the hopes of deterring any U.S. intervention in a regional conflict."