While it is unlikely that Russia would cut back on the sales, reverse-engineering of the military hardware has become a major concern for Moscow, which has accused China of copying everything from aircraft engines to air-defense systems. Instead of an embargo, Russia has responded by insisting that weapons are purchased in bulk to combat the likelihood of reverse-purchases that come when Beijing only bought a few samples. Moreover, Russia has largely come to accept Chinese IP theft as a cost of doing business, while at the same time Moscow could maintain a technological edge.
However, it isn’t just from a partner that China has been accused of stealing military IP.
