sure in China they can copy a simplistic product quickly and...

sure in China they can copy a simplistic product quickly and easily, patent or not patent.

keep in mind, China is not the only country that does that. Think Apple and Microsoft in the 90s and look at who’s richer (Gates or Jobs).

Fortunately, PET is not a simplistic product for the masses. As PET in their recent announcements had reminded us, engineering work is becoming an important component of their work. I can give a sub standard engineer a tonne of free Phoslock and he/she may not have any idea how to best use it. Furthermore, in China the sales is almost exclusively to government. Chinese governments don’t use knock off products definitely not use knock off engineering. Copy cats are usually short term thinkers/profiteers and I assure you Chinese government are planning several generations ahead. They’ll wanna pick the brains of PET engineers till they themselves are capable of producing an entire generation of quality engineers- which doesn’t take that long but it’s not an immediate threat.

To assume all Chinese will buy cheap copy cats is incorrect. Why do you think there are still thousands of Chinese tourists queueing up outside LV shops when cheap and good imitation is easily obtainable in China? If you’ve ever worked with a newer (post 1980s) generation of mainland Chinese you’ll realise they respect intellectual property as much as any Westerners do (and Westerns have their limits too! Think Microsoft again!). The national pride of China would want them to believe they are capable or soon to be capable of scientific innovation that surpasses Western world and one day the West will copy them instead.

bottom line is- if you’ve thought of it, PET would have 10 years before. Don’t worry, be happy.