It is indeed idiotic to credit Nixon with recuing China and putting it on the path to success.
First, it was Kissinger, NOT Nixon that came up with this idea. The intent had NOTHING to do with fostering development in China, and everything to do with guaranteeing that when Nixon threatened to bomb the Hell out of North Vietnem, laos and Cambodia, the Chinese would not intervene, as they had done in Korea.
It was Deng Xiaoping that was responsible for this, NOT tricky dicky or Kissinger.
The Chinese, of course, realized that there was no advantage in fighting the US in Vietnam.
They did not gain much in Korea, either, but in Vietnem there was no danger that they would end up with a prosperous capitalist country on their border.
The Chinese gained a veto seat in the UN and recognition of the PRC by the US. It was a no brainer for the Chinese.
The main reason the US did not recognize the real China as China up until Nixon, was the red baiting Nixon himself.
That is why they say "Only Nixon could have gone to China."
Has a Democrat done it, they would have been accused of being a Communist....by Nixon, Goldwater and the rest of the crypto Fascist GOP.