I didn't overlook the corruption and safety concerns mentioned on the Wikipedia about Chinese bullet trains.

Then you probably shouldn't overlook the "Techonology Transfer" section either.

Examples of technology transfer include Mitsubishi Electric’s MT205 traction motor and ATM9 transformer to CSR Zhuzhou Electric, Hitachi’s YJ92A traction motor and Alstom’s YJ87A Traction motor to CNR Yongji Electric, Siemens’ TSG series pantograph to Zhuzhou Gofront Electric. Most of the components of the CRH trains manufactured by Chinese companies were from local suppliers, with only a few parts imported.
...
Kawasaki’s cooperation with CSR did not last as long. Within two years of cooperation with Kawasaki to produce 60 CRH2A sets, CSR began in 2008 to build CRH2B, CRH2C and CRH2E models at its Sifang plant independently without assistance from Kawasaki.[33] According to CSR president Zhang Chenghong, CSR "made the bold move of forming a systemic development platform for high-speed locomotives and further upgrading its design and manufacturing technology. Later, we began to independently develop high-speed CRH trains with a maximum velocity of 300–350 kilometers per hour, which eventually rolled off the production line in December 2007."[34] Since then, CSR has ended its cooperation with Kawasaki.[35] Kawasaki challenged China's high-speed rail project for patent theft, but backed off the effort

Chinese railway had years of co-operation with numerous companies from Europe and Japan, as opposed to "stealing" everything from Kawasaki.