Or maybe this is retaliation for the billions Chinese companies have made off stolen American IP. Ever thought of that? To imply this is pure protectionism is over simplifying it.
It's silly to look at a centuries long geopolitical struggle for hegemony through the lens of fair play as though it's just a game among friends.
It's their problem now to figure out how to develop top tier hardware and software without stealing it from American companies and rebranding it.