"State and corporate espionage isn't anything new."
'State espionage' for issues of security is understandable and nobody is screaming about it.
"I understand that the publicized outrage about Huawei and other Chinese companies stealing from America isn't natural"
This is really not true. It's 100% natural to be concerned about the blatant theft of research and IP.
Literally Huawei was rewarding staffers for stuff they'd stolen.
In fact, I'd argue that it's 'unnatural' for people not to be concerned about it.
"Most people were fine with Chinese advancing and copying, since everybody benefited from cheap labor/products. "
No way - that was not 'China stealing IP' - that was China using their competitive advantage: labour, factories, supply chains to add value. This is a good thing and few were complaining other than those who lost jobs. Everyone else was winning.
"Until the powerful in the West realized american economy is in bad shape" ?
The US has the lowest unemployment in 25 years, the lowest unemployment ever for African Americans, stocks are at crazy all-time highs. While nobody will ever say it's rosy, and historical growth is a little low, the US is overall doing just fine.
This is all a distraction: China and Huawei stealing IP and other elements and it's blatantly illegal and a serious transgression of international norms of trade.
Why would any company in the world even allow Huawei staff anywhere near their workers or offices, knowing that they're literally trying to steal whatever they can? The consequences of this are real and will factor into how nations contemplate trading with China.