China has copied yes. But which countries HAVE NOT COPIED? Which countries have not copied from China before?
I can with pride say that China is one of the few countries who haven't copied their
writing. Like all the Western countries have copied from Roman/greek/Phoenican letters. Our language does not have nearly as many loan words as e.g English. Actually, many Chinese words and pronunciation have been exported to other countries.
And seriously, what is hardest? Copying or buying other countries' stuff and expertise?
What is best in the long run?
Buying foreign goods and expertise, or try establishing your own manufacturing base by a mixture of copying, digestion of foreign technology and improving it?
Take it step-by-step, learn the basic, give your people expertise and then improve?
What is best economically?
Definitely not buying other countries' stuff. The best is copying. There is no need to reinvent the wheel.
Copying is underrated. You can't just click a button and then the chosen thing is duplicated. There is a lot of things behind it.
I only laugh at those who think the Chinese is unable to be innovative. Time will prove you wrong. It will take a time for China's industries to be as technologically advanced, when we reach that point, the U.S. will be a mere shadow of its former status. China had to copy russian equipment before, because we were so backwards after wars, famine and embargos. No more that.