Deterrence as an Operational Objective question

[Officer of Engineers]

to take Xinjiang ? in my view that would be overkill, I cannot see the chinesse forces there standing up to the army that invaded Afganistan.

To take out the nukes before they can launch.

They might use them in Shenyang if they do not have enogh conventional forces but in than case, what would stop them to go all the way to Beijing?

Nothing and that was the plan.

[Officer of Engineers]

Col, I know Russians sometimes had weird, suicidal methods, but sending troops through an area that just been nuked seems too much.

Not necessarily. Nukes are meant for assembly areas, supply depots, bases, etc - the shaft of the spear. Whatever has been nuked can be bottled up and bypassed.