That line of thinking plays right into their game. A perfect way to rationalize compliance. But it’s based on the misguided concept that somehow access to American software services will push American values on the Chinese people. All the while, compliance with their censorship demands prevents that from actually happening.

The only way to play the game is to refuse their rules. So what if they clone your software? Let them.

Yes but that Chinese company won’t be able to censor the other ~7 Billion people on Earth.