Mike wrote:

from International Relations of the Asia-Pacific Volume 7 (2007) 155–
178

China’s nuclear command, control and operations

In July 2005, a Chinese Major General, Zhu Chenghu, said at an
official military
briefing that China is prepared to use nuclear weapons against the
USA,
if its troops are attacked by the Americans during a confrontation
over
Taiwan (Harney, 2005). This declaration stirred turmoil and the
Chinese
Government did not bother to deny or confirm Zhu’s account. Do China’s
nuclear forces have such a capability, if a Sino-American war
occurred? Or is
Zhu’s statement just a political bluff ?

In this article, the author will try to answer these questions by
investigating
the current development and restraints of China’s nuclear command,
control
and communications systems as well as its nuclear targetting and
operational
plans....


You might also be interested in the DOD Annual Report to Congress:
Military Power of the People’s Republic of China 2009:

http://www.defense.gov/pubs/pdfs/Chi...eport_2009.pdf

Regarding the question whether China might use their nukes first, the
report states:

"While there is no evidence that China’s doctrine of “no first
use” has changed, the fielding of these forces, along with a projected
new class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine
(SSBN)/submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) in 2009-2010 enabling
a credible sea-based deterrent, will give China’s leaders greater
flexibility and options for strategic strike than previously available.
While U.S. strategic forces still far outnumber those of China, China
would be able to inflict significant damage on most large American
cities with these survivable systems."

And:

"China’s 2008 Defense White Paper states that the Second Artillery
Corps: 1) sticks to China’s policy of no first-use of nuclear weapons,
2) implements a self-defensive nuclear strategy, 3) strictly follows the
orders of the CMC, and 4) takes as its fundamental mission the
protection of China from any nuclear attack."


However:

"Given the above missions for China’s nuclear forces, the conditions
under which China’s “no first use” policy applies are unclear. The
PRC government has provided public and private assurances that its “no
first use” policy has not and will not change. PRC writings indicate
internal PLA support for this policy. Nevertheless, periodic PRC
military and civilian academic debates have occurred over whether a
“no first use” policy supports or detracts from China’s deterrent,
and whether or not “no first use” should remain in place. Questions
also continue regarding whether or not a conventional strike on
China’s strategic forces would nullify China’s “no first use”
pledge. These debates add a further layer of ambiguity to China’s
strategic intentions for its nuclear forces."


Also make sure to have a look at Figure 6 of the report, they have
projected the ranges of China's strategic missiles on a worldmap, so
that you can see which of them might land on your head one day. Spoiler:
If you live in Brasilia or Argentina, count yourself lucky.

--
Cool links for aspiring physicists, from a Nobel laureate:
http://www.phys.uu.nl/~thooft/theorist.html