The PRC had been flying Licence Built versions of the Dauphin since the 1980s as the Z-9 series of aircraft.
In all honestly I think the Chinese are at the point where they are not copying as much as just building new with what they have already learned. They know and have lots of experience with Fenestron rotors, so it make sense that that is what they built, they have lots of experience with the Z-9 airframe so it makes sense they would build a Gunship out of it.
Their gear looks like ours and our allies gear because it's simply the proper way to build it, and they are expanding out of the gear they have bought from overseas so there is going to be a distinct design similarity.
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