Copying the surface structure is normal. Every generation that follows the previous tends to copy the surface structure of its predecessors until they develop their own culture based on that generation's realities. Do you really think the culture of Silicon Valley of today is a facsimile of the culture of the 70's and 80's?

The thing to pay attention to isn't whether they're copying it exactly right, it's that they're copying the spirit and adapting it to their own circumstances.

>>Looks more like they are copying the syntax (surface structure) of the valley rather than the substance.

Echoes of cargo cult science[1].

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cargo_cult_science

The problem with that theory is that China is not some primitive savage culture that has no idea how to "copy" Facebook (like savages who "copied" runways very poorly).

Chinese could easily copy Facebook and call it something else but with built-in restrictions that they're looking for. They take our tech and perfect it for their culture. That's not identical to a guy in a hut with a wooden walkie-talkie. Sorry.

The only difference would be is that it's a closed network. Doesn't mean it's "less" or "primitive" or "savage" when compared to Facebook. Just different.

The point is that china has it's own sites that are more popular than FB, WhatsApp, eBay etc, in a large part because they are more appropriate to local norms. This doesn't imply some sort of China-exceptionalism; Blackberry was huge in Indonesia and Orkut in Brazil.

They'd like to have some of the magic fecundity of the Valley too -- and why not? Though copying the overt structure doesn't get you there -- many many many have tried, including many in the USA (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_places_with_%22Silicon...). Hell, there are many studies and theories of how the Valley got to be where it is, with no consensus. I have commented further down in this thread on some unique or highly unusual factors that make it so effective (for me) right now but I have no solid theories of how it got to have the magic mix it does.

China policies are very protectionist so you cannot say if those companies would be successful in a 'open' environment. Their competition is just blocked there.

What is "the substance" of the Valley?

(legitimately curious, please don't take my question wrong)

nradov nailed some of it -- cultural stuff which is hard to replicate. In addition there's a dense web of lawyers who understand startups (which are different from established companies and different from, say, a retail store or simple service business), landlords who can deal with renting to a tenant that might not be around in a year, lots of possible employees who are comfortable with something interesting but quite risky and who bring their own experiences and networks into the effort, and in general a really large tolerance for risk.

There's a lot of visible froth about the valley available in the press, most of which is useless bull. Folks are starting companies, getting funded, and shipping product to customers without bothering to make a single press mention or crunchbase entry. Many of them working with folks they've worked with before. None of that culture is visible from outside the valley.

Multiple high-quality research universities in close proximity, coupled with abundant government funding to prime the pump, good climate, and state law which generally prohibits employee non-compete contracts.