Looking back into history, it should be noted that imitation and even plagiarism of technology among countries were very common during the industrial age of Europe and the US. Some companies even tried to acquire advanced technology through dishonest and unprincipled means. This is a specific historical time phase which can not be bypassed.
The developed countries have all gone through the process of standardizing intellectual property protection. But it is by building upon the work of their predecessors that each of the country achieved new breakthroughs in and made new contributions to technological advancement. Thus, we believe that no country, including the US, can realize modernization by theft.