This is the definition of the term "brinkmanship." Brinkmanship refers to the practice of trying to gain advantage over your opponent by pushing a dispute to the edge of conflict. The idea is that pushing the situation to the extreme is likely to force the opponent to back down and make concessions. For this strategy to work, diplomatic maneuvers need to be used in order to prove that there is no intention to back down. This strategy is particularly used in international politics and the military.
