At least the Chinese use an idea to create a product but the patent trolls can't be bother to create a product with the idea and then sue someone whom they allege is stealing their patent.
We should not, as was mentioned here by several, fall into the trap of sterotyping an entire culture based on the actions of a few (despite the media hype). That being said, just as there are Americans, and English, and Australians who run afoul of the law, there are those from these other countries as well. Every society has these kinds of people -- willing to "trade" their honor and dignity for profit. THat's nothing new.
The fact that much of what seems to hit the news most often these days appears to be "state-sponsored", is both problematic as well as alarming. Taking an existing idea and making it better on your own is the spirit of invention. Doing the same with all of the original unpublished notes, code, and other details is outright theft. Plagarism in it's worst form in my view. I am sure others will have other descriptive words for it.
It's unfortunate because in the end, it "taints" the true inventions and inventors, and causes an increasing distrust for consumers. Knock-off batteries that explode or catch fire, internal boards for sensitive, life-imporving instruments that don't provide the right results, etc. This just weakens some of the very things that great companies are tyring to do for the world's benefit -- all at a price that unfortunately hits the wrong people at most likely the worst possible time in their lives.
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