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Notes -
Another potential chokepoint for China is high-end ICBM production. I don't know if we would beat them in an arms race if we ramped up manufacturing Standards – I just don't have strong knowledge on the subject either way.
Fortunately Starship can handle plenty of bulk. Even without, though, I don't think a single EMP can technically clear out all of Brilliant Pebbles because the missiles would be in orbit all around the world. But it seems like launching multiple would be effective enough that you'd want to harden it anyway.
But besides the SPACE NUKES, Russia has started working on sea-delivered nuclear weapons and their nuclear arsenal has always been considerably more frightening than China's – I suspect it would be harder to defend against them than China, at least in the near to medium future, although I could be wrong.
However I am not sure China would go to NUCLEAR WAR just because we deployed Brilliant Pebbles.
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