I just can't see it.
Pre-war Japan's economy was not tied to the USA like China's is now.
The Chinese economy would go down in flames if America stopped buying their crap.
In fact, imagine a world where we reneged on our debt and cut off all imports?
They might as well go to war against us then, like we were some third world banana republic that some European power takes over to collect whatever they can...
Whoa!
That could happen! Especially if the democrat socialists get back in charge!
Our ignorant masses and vote harvesting might just be the end of us.
I recently read an article describing Imperial Japans 1880-1945 period. Japen's desire to dominate their geographic sphere (Week China, Russia) compares well with today's China. China is a Commie country, what commies do well is REGRESS their economies and they do not invent - no incentive. The people like Huewie can easily be compared to Russia's Oligarchs of recent times
Therefore China steeling IP can be related to Japan's need for raw materials a hundred years ago.
And as with Imperial Japan back then, today we (West) do not really know what is going on in China