Nixon reasoned that if China became a trading partner with the US, that nation would be less likely to enter into a conflict with this country.

I disagree. The trip was more to split China from the USSR — and potentially make the Soviets (who were supporting North Vietnam) back off a bit, leading to a possibly-better result in any peace talks between North VN and the US.

The war was highly unpopular in 1972. It was IMO still ongoing because Nixon managed to ‘monkey wrench’ the secret talks Johnson was having with both North and South Vietnam. As I remember, it had to do with telling Thieu (via Anna Chenault) that he’d get a better deal with Nixon. Thieu refused to meet. Talks failed. No peace agreement for Humphrey.

The Watergate complex break-in was far from his first dirty trick — and a good indication that geopolitics didn’t drive his actions, but instead were used as justification for those actions that were to his political advantage.