Does "keeping both of them off balance" mean "keeping both of them unsteady"?

Does "keeping both of them off balance, first of all vis a vis each other" mean "keeping both of them unbalance, and the first step is to make them fighting against each other"?

Context:

In these latter cases, again, the question is not "supporting" marginal threats to Russia and China, but merely keeping both of them off balance, first of all vis a vis each other.