Yes they do, they may not care ...
I been doing some looking at this issue over in the other "Chinese Chainsaw" thread. It looks like there is some gray area here. Take a firm like Juli Tool Company. They make Stihl look-a-likes. But they put them in Stihl marked boxes with export certs going to Africa and South America. Looks a lot more legit than some copy cats?
These are pre OSHA, pre EPA designs and I'll bet they are made under license from Stihl? Why would Stihl do that? Because they get to sell into markets that can't afford modern equipment and build brand loyalty. They also get a steady and ongoing source of spares for their older saws so they can keep selling spares and that makes users happy - product support. And, they get to do it w/o using MFG space or equipment that is needed for current modern production in the home country.
I don't think all the Chinese Stihls are copies or knock-offs. The issue is to find out which firms have legit MFG agreements, and I don't think that is common knowledge
Juli Tool also makes some home-grown designs too. Think about how many Chinese loggers there are working in rain forests around the world ... They have a huge market for tooling with their own people and programs.
How could Stihl or Husky get into that market, by licensing gen one designs for workers who don't get a chain brake or EPA Cat Muffler, etc. Big tough saws that fall trees and keep running. They need them as much as the next guy.
Looks like Apple to me. DejaVu all over again. Do the designs in Germany or Sweden and outsource the build. Same business model. If it worked for Apple and made it the biggest firm on Wall Street, it will work for Stihl and Husky.