>stealing western IP The term youre looking for is copying without authorization, to steal IP requires that the original intellectual good be removed from its

>stealing western IP The term youre looking for is copying without authorization, to steal IP requires that the original intellectual good be removed from its proprietor, which, short of a "Men In Black" style brainalyzer, is simply not possible I trust that in order to preserve and strengthen the incentive structure around the creation of novel intellectual goods, such a device should be technologically within reach within the next 20 years, and hopefully the world's IP lobbies will be granted special powers to compel the use of such devices in cases where individuals find themselves coming into possession of protected intellectual goods without authorization In answer to your question though, no, I do not think anyone would be surprised if some of China's progress is thanks to the groundwork laid by Western space companies and agencies.