This is a very good take. To have the conversation one must first define the scope and mission of the proposed “war” (not that any war isn’t “bad”). The size of the PLA and personnel resources of China matter not a whit in terms of the South China Sea. Strategically, it’s a “nice to have” but I see fighting for it…

By “handled Putin appropriately” you mean doing nothing while Crimea and Ukraine were either subjugated or terrorized? The “russian reset” was a dismal failure.