Question

Why is Russia a bigger threat to the United States than China.

Answer 1

For US national security, Russia and China pose distinct challenges. Russia is a well-armed rogue state, which seeks to subvert an international order which it never can expect to dominate, rather than being a pair or near-peer competitor. In contrast , China is a peer competitor who wants to shape a world order to dominate. They intend to alter the status quo, but Russia alone has invaded neighboring countries, occupied captured areas and assisted the insurgent powers seeking further unbundling of territory.

Russia is assassinating rivals in Germany and abroad, interfering in international elections and weakening international democracy. China's increasing influence, by contrast, is based largely on more positive measures: trade, investment and assistance for development. These characteristics make China less immediate and more difficult in the long term.

Probably Russia will remain military superior to all its immediate neighbors except China.
Russia is vulnerable, but multilateral efforts would be more effective than operations only by the United States, to a variety of other non-military deterrents such as sanctions on the Russian economy and the limitations of Russian fossil fuel exportations.

In security, the United States should continue to maintain its position in East and Southeast Asia, with greater costs and risks to counterbalance the growing military capacities of China. In addition, Washington would support the introduction of its own anti-access structures and denials in its global allies and partners. The US, lastly, ought to take the opportunity to solve problems and to remove points of Sino-American tension in recognition of the progressive deterioration in its negotiating position over time.