TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — China could end up dropping a nuclear bomb if it decided to invade Taiwan, according to the latest cross-strait war game exercise.

The war game took into account the example of Russia’s failed invasion of Ukraine and was run by the Washington-based Center for a New American Security (CNAS), former Pentagon officials, U.S. lawmakers, and the broadcaster NBC.

The original premise of the operation was that China would try to achieve a swift decapitation of Taiwan’s leadership. In doing so, it would preemptively attack U.S. bases in Japan and Guam.

The U.S. would likely respond by hitting Chinese ports and mobilizing its allies, in the war-game scenario. This would lead to further escalation and China taking extreme measures.

“Neither Beijing nor Washington is likely to have the upper hand after the first week of the conflict, suggesting that it would eventually become a protracted conflict,” NBC News cited CNAS experts as saying. “The war game demonstrated how quickly the conflict may escalate, with China and the United States crossing red lines.”

This could end with China resorting to nuclear force, according to U.S. officials, who also feel this is a step that Russia could yet take in its conflict with Ukraine.