Can you provide any link or evidence that you made the specific bet 50 years ago?
> Sure, and if you give a monkey with a typewriter infinite time, he'll eventually write Shakespeare.
Only impatient and ignorant monkeys think it takes several years to change 1.4 billion people.
US relations with China began in the 1970s during the Nixon administration. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Nixon%27s_1972_visit_t....
> Only impatient and ignorant monkeys think it takes several years to change 1.4 billion people.
It's a matter of willingness, not time. If Xi can create a system to surveil and restrict the free speech of 1.4 billion people in less than 10 years, I'm sure he can create a system of Democracy in even less time than that.
US started diplomatic relationship with China, in order to fight USSR, not to put a bet. USSR was by far the bigger threat and the US and China had a common enemy.
> If Xi can create a system to surveil and restrict the free speech of 1.4 billion people in less than 10 years.
Have you not learned a thing in your whole life? Changing 1.4 billion people's ideology is way way way harder than building a surveillance system.
EDIT: I think you missed my point but I think I should leave you with your rose-tinted glasses on.