I decided to create a list with aircrafts built in China, but looking confusingly similar to western types. I’m not generally claiming that they were copied. Some might have been built in license, some might use officially licensed parts.
This list will occasionally be updated. Please leave a comment if you know further types.
China Star CS2000
Looks like: Boeing 787
AVIC ARJ21
Looks like: Douglas DC-9 / McDonnell Douglas MD-80/90 / Boeing 717
Shanghai Y-10 (canceled in 1983)
Looks like: Boeing 707-320
Xian MA60
Looks like: Antonov An-26
Chengdu JF-17/FC-1
Looks like: Northrop F-20 Tigershark
Chengdu J-10
Looks like: Israel IAI Lavi B
Changhe Z11
Looks like: Eurocopter AS-350 Ecureuil
Changhe Z8
Looks like: Aérospatiale Super Frelon
Photo Credits:
China Star CS2000 by: carnoc.com; Boeing 787 by: Boeing; ARJ21 by: AVIC; DC-9 by: Paul Robbins; Shanghai Y-10 by: Taecoxu; Boeing 707 by: Gerard Helmer; Xian MA60 by: AVICI; Antonov An-26 by: Kristof Jonckheere; JF-17 & F-20 By: Wikipedia; J-10 & Lavi by: Unknown; Changhe Z-11 by: Yuxiaobin; Eurocopter AS-350 Ecureuil by: Marco Toso; Changhe Z8 by: unknown; Aérospatiale Super Frelon by: Wikipedia
very thought-provoking, and China does have a history for copying the work of others: ever heard of the iClone? basically, a Chinese iPhone, but some say it is even better. and many cars have been “cloned” and modified by the Chinese, some of which actually reportedly run better. but the Super Frelon/Z8 thing isn’t anything new, because the Chinese military effectively bought some Super Frelons from Aerospatiale for use as transports and ASW platforms. whether they actually manufactured some themselves under license (or not; the Chinese also have a reputation for ignoring licensing deals), I do not know
again, a good post
Other sources in the NET point out that both Chinese fighters (FC-1 & J-10) area heavily influenced by a russian project sometimes called Mig-33 (not the actual Mig-33), which was basically a single engined Mig-29.