By "finding a partner" you actually mean have Azure-branded services provided by Chinese companies through isolated data centers.
Which kind of proves OPs point.
For some MS software, you need to sign an additional agreement consenting to cross-border transfer of personal data before use. But the features are the same.
Same applies to the US gov cloud regions and Apple's iCloud.
Western companies have virtually no IP in China. It gets stolen and IP rights are not enforcible - western companies basically cannot sue Chinese companies. Chinese companies can enforce their IP against western companies, who have to surrender theirs to access the Chinese market. The system is completely rigged in China's favour.
The only way to level that playing field is for western nations to do the same: Let their domestic companies freely steal Chinese IP and selectively enforce IP rights, as China does.
> The only way to level that playing field is for western nations to do the same: Let their domestic companies freely steal Chinese IP and selectively enforce IP rights, as China does.
China literally just gives it away for free. They are the top supplier of open source LLMs.
The answer I heard at the time was to get local suppliers and workforce up to Tesla standards.
It appears to have worked out for China quite nicely.
Chinese Teslas had higher standards early on, panels aligned and such.
Tesla was the first to buck this trend.