Why do Chinese consumers seem more accepting of copycat products than Western consumers?

Different mentality. You’ll notice the concept of patents and copyright being a very Western thing. Westerners like to reward inventions and innovations by giving the creator more exclusivity to that creation. This ensures that the creator reaps the reward of innovation more directly.

In Chinese and Asian culture, when someone invented something it is generally shared amongst everyone. The creators and inventors are not as keen on taking credit for things they made, seeing it more as beneficial for everyone. Thats why a lot of Chinese inventions you rarely hear about the inventor themselves. Out of the four great Chinese inventions – paper, compass, printing and gunpowder – only paper (Cai Lun) has a widely known inventor – and it’s not like he kept the paper making process exclusive to himself either.

So Chinese don’t see copycat products as an issue because they see them as just products that are taking advantage of technology and making that technology available to everyone whereas Westerners see that from a standpoint of “stealing” from someone who rightfully deserves to have sole exclusive use of that technology.