Been going on for a thousand years. Where have they been?.................
Quite right.
One of the unique features of Chinese society throughout history is that merchants and businessmen were very low on the social status totem pole. They were subject to routine expropriation by the state or local mandarins, more or less at their whim.
Chinese businessmen always were viewed by others, and by themselves, as almost semi-criminal. They responded by developing semi-criminal ways of defending themselves against expropriation and abuse. There’s always been a lot more overlap between legitimate business and organized crime among the Chinese than among most cultures, even the Sicilians.
Those who plan to do business with Chinese suppliers had better bring a pretty long spoon.
They don’t call certain items a “Chinese Copy” for nothing!