I'm not saying I agree or disagree, but I'm almost certain he is saying how it worked with the Soviet Union.
That wouldn’t be true either. I’m no historian but things like the SALT treaties would surely be examples of working with the USSR (and giving them “an inch” in the process).
I'm guessing the parent was referring to America and the USSR during the cold war and saying America needs to take the same stance against China as they did against the USSR.