Imitation leads to innovation

Shanzhai culture will power China forward with fresh ideas and innovative thinking.

This is not a statement you will hear very often. Instead, the general feeling is the complete opposite, that shanzhai products kill creativity and are little more than brainless copies of existing ideas.

So let's be clear here - my phone is shanzhai and definitely not innovative. As a dodgy replica of a decent touch-screen model, it becomes so excited by movement inside my pocket that it will randomly dial out to share its mood, or more curiously, record the rustling sounds for later.