How Kissinger viewed 1970s
Kissinger never tried to befriend China to counter USSR. Kissinger by later 1960s realized that African and Asian countries have tremendous desire for national independence from European colonialism. So if USA kept on suppressing national independence, USSR would get the upper hand by placing communists against US Imperialism. Kissinger famously formulated it as: growth of nationalism when countered by imperialism is countered by communism.
Kissinger also understood that State entrepreneurship is excellent for first phase of growth of heavy industries, infrastructure, education and health but for second phase development of Consumer industries and innovative ventures Private entrepreneurship has no match. This was already evident in 1960s and Kissinger knew the economic crisis in Communist world would further accelerate in 1970s.
Kissinger went to China
So Kissinger secretly went to China in 1971 to meet Mao. Kissinger knew Mao has failed to generate enough momentum in Consumer Industries through democratization of work-place during Cultural Revolution. So Mao would receive Kissinger and his offer of joining Global economy very warmly. Deng's Opening of China was actually granted by Mao in 1971 Kissinger trip.
USA-USSR Detente
Nixon Kissinger next came to detente deal with USSR's Brezhnev Andropov in 1972, 1973, 1974. By this deal, USSR would allow USA to dominate Latin America, Canada, West Europe, South-East Asia and East Asia. While USSR would be permitted to dominate East Europe, South Asia and Africa (Central Asia was then within USSR). West Asia would be jointly looked after by USA & USSR. More importantly oil price would be set high by Saudi led OPEC cartel which will ensure high foreign exchange income for USSR, a dominant oil seller. The high foreign exchange income for USSR will also help USSR and East European Socialist countries to take credit from Western world. This loan will help them to solve their problems in Consumer industries and Innovation. It must be remembered that in 1971, Brettonwoods Agreement collapsed after which US asset price bubble became primary source of demand for US Dollar. 1973 OPEC's oil price hike ensured more demand for US assets from OPEC's rising income. In 1974 Detente Deal, USSR was allowed to sell its patents (USSR had largest number of patents between 1960 and 1985) to West as well. Though USSR'S patent sale resulted in many profitable ventures in West, but patent price was too low compared to the ultimate profit made through innovation. In fact USSR would have gained more if it bought US assets with oil and patent selling income instead of buying Western machines to finance its ineffienct Consumer Industries. Gulf Kingdoms actually did that. USSR should have made a deal of patent for innovative company shares.
Between 1972 and 1979, USSR freely dominated Angola, Somalia, Ethiopia, South Yemen with no counter actions from USA. USA similarly crushed Chile's Alende Communist government through unpopular brutal dictatorship. The detente broke after Iranian Islamic Revolution which challenged Israel and Gulf Sunni kingdoms. Rise of Shite Islam forced Sunni Saudi to side Sunni Islam Revolutionaries against USSR in South Yemen, Afghanistan and Somalia. USA broke the detente after Soviet sent troops to Afghanistan. So Kissinger befriended China to counter USSR is a wrong reading of history because Kissinger made detente with both China and USSR in 1970s.
Kissinger's View on Difference between China & USSR
It is indeed true that Trump is very much influenced by Kissinger. Kissinger in 2018 clearly told that China and USSR have a key difference. USSR was a great military and tech power but not an economic power. Its economy is mere 25% of US GDP. Moreover, USSR had to allocate almost 40% of GDP to military to keep pace with US military spending. So USSR's Consumption and Culture were weak as well. China on the other hand is comparable to USA in military, tech and economy simultaneously. So USA cannot deal with China the way it dealt with USSR. USA could easily ally with West Europe and Japan to economically and technologically block USSR because USSR even in its heydays was mere 10% of Global GDP while USSR & East European Socialist countries had mere 14% of Global GDP in 1970. It began to fall further as South East Asia, Japan and Germany were raising their Global GDP share in 1970s and 1980s. So USSR market was never lucrative enough for Western capital and hence easier to sanction. But China's GDP is 30% more than US when measured in PPP and 30% less when measured in current USD. China's manufacturing is 35% of Global manufacturing while its mere 12% for USA in 2024. China's share will touch 45% in 2030 by UN Report. China is already largest retail market in the world since 2021. So Global Economy is impossible to imagine without China today. Hence in 2018 Kissinger recommended for Red Line Deal between China and USA where both have to accept the Red Line set by each. So clearly Kissinger wanted a division of Global Influence between China and USA where ruling class of both countries would be taken care of.
Actions to Stem in China's Rise since 2008 has Failed
Now Trump is trying to reach a Red Line Deal with China by compiling maximum bargaining power possible. Rise of China was clear from 2008 Financial Crisis. Since then USA tired Color Revolutions across the globe through assets like CIA and NED. But these revolutions though sometimes displaced rulers failed to stem in the rise of China. e.g. In 2011, Khadaffi was eliminated but it did little to weak Chinese influence in Africa. Instead it rises. Color Revolutionaries in Hong Kong were defeated too, Next Trump and Biden unleashed Trade War and Tech War against China for eight years since 2017. In 2024, China created US$ 1 Trillion record Trade Surplus and came up with 7 nano meter chip making tech, DeepSeek & Manus like AI, dominating EV, solar panels and lithium battery. China has already fulfilled 84% of Made in China 2025 target in 2024. So US led Trade War and Tech War failed to weaken the growth of China's Trade & Tech. In fact, in Tech, China's rise has accelerated.
Trump wants Deal with China at the Cost of EU with the Help of Russia
But has Trump only tried to stop China's rise? Answer is No. Trump has reduced CIA and Pentagon's involvement drastically. In 2016 he won by criticizing Continuous Wars. Biden too declared no role of Military in spreading democracy but he kept the option of Intelligence. Trump and Musk's DOGE have now defunded Intelligence wing as well. So USA is trying hard to reduce Budget Deficit. Trump is raising tariff on all partners besides China which proves his intention is to reduce Trade Deficit by keeping US Dollar's global role intact. Trump thinks under Global Hegemony, USA is becoming asset trading center while China is coming production center. So USA is accumulating debt while China is accumulating production part of which becomes credit to USA. So US Global Hegemony is making USA indebted to China. China cannot be dictated to appreciate its currency Yuan since China is not vasal to USA. Only way out is to give China its own neighboring area for domination while keeping USA's own domination zone in US neighbourhood. Tight control over manufacturing of West Europe, Canada, Mexico and commodities of South America and Australia will help USA to give US Dollar a real production backing. Similarly, China's domination of Japan, South Korea, ASEAN and South Asia while help China to increase the use of Yuan which will raise the value to Yuan and help China to shift a part of its manufacturing to ASEAN and South Asia. Thus US Dollar will remain intact or even can thrive along with Chinese Yuan at the cost of Euro. Decimation of Euro is possible by destroying EU. EU can be destroyed by forcing it to invest more in military which can be achieved by unleashing its geopolitical rival Russia. Russia's manufacturing is still largest among all countries of Europe. But Russia has to invest larger proportion in military and that is why its population is poorer. Now EU too has to do that as Trump has started to leave Europe to Russia. In the end EU will have to devalue Euro to the point of annihilation and after that Europe will be divided between USA and Russia just like 1945 and 1974.
Sacrificing Euro & India
When we look at the result of three years of Ukraine War we see that China has gained high tech production at the cost of EU while US Dollar has gained at the cost of Euro. Russia had to endure low oil gas price, loss of EU market while US oil gas found high price and market in EU. So Biden too had taken the policy of destroying EU high tech production and Euro. Biden tried to rely on India to militarily and economically challenge China. Biden also wanted to use gender politics, immigration politics, weak race politics and all color revolution tools throughout the world to dominate every corner of the globe. India has been proven to be ineffective against China both militarily and economically. So sacrificing India is on the cards now. Most likely, USA will give South Asia to China and China will break India into twenty small new countries which will be easier to modernise and develop.
Return of White Men
Regarding gender, immigration and minority race politics, Trump and Biden differ completely. Trump and a rising group of Western Rightists believe that these are harming Western way of life. Gender politics like rights of women and LGBT are causing low birth rate among Western white natives. This in turn is forcing West to accept non Western non white immigrants. This in turn is making West multi-racial. Then minority races are given privileges forcing Western whites loss competition. Weakened position of Western white men is further lowering birth rate of white race.They think Indians have taken over Silicon Valley in this way. Universities are acting against Western white men. So fixing West is most important task and so women rights, lgbt rights, minority rights must be thrown away.
Conclusion
So Trump is trying to reach a deal with China with the intention of dividing Global influence, transform soft global hegemony to hard neighbourhood based empire, destroy EU and Euro by unleashing Russian fear in Europe, giving up India to China which will result in balkanization of the former, curtail women rights LGBT rights and minority rights to raise birth rate of Western whites.
