Once the USSR fell, it was not necessary to tie ourselves to China the way we did. Once the Soviet communists were defeated, we pushed Russia away and eagerly hopped into bed with the Chinese communists and we all know why. $$$ There rise was not inevitable, not to the extent we have seen. It all goes back to the decision no permanently normalize trade relations with them. again, $$$. The claim was that they thought that the sudden spread of Chinese prosperity would be the death of Chinese communism but it clearly was not. Just ask the Uyghurs.
You are absolutely right. China did not become like us, we became like them. A fatal mistake!