[thephyber]

I don't disagree with China playing fast and loose with IP, but those actions wouldn't happen in a vaccuum.

China has WTO trade laws that protect them until a court case makes the connection between intentional IP violations and the unfair trade competition. Even after that is established (which can take many years), China can assert a counter-action using WTO rules to find whatever trade laws those same western+developed countries are violating.

Steve Bannon just talked about this in an unscripted interview for a newspaper. If it happens, pain will ratchet up for everyone involved. It will take a decade or more for all of the ripples of this type of trade war to calm. Until then, ratcheting up of tariffs will make it far more expensive to live in any country involved.