Please enlighten us as to what is given under ToT.
Under TOT, the foreign partner will give you all files of blueprints, but the foreign parter won't tell you why the bluprint is designed so.
the foreign parters may set up factory for you and tell you how to operate the factory. but they can not set up a full industry-chains for you. when the maching tool of you plant broke down,you will have ask you partner for help.
foreign partner also teach you how to make the material of components and how to machine the material into component. but they won't tell why the materai should be done as that and how machining tool are manufactured...
frankly speaking, in 1950s, Russian gifted lots of TOT to Chinese ,including mg19,T55,033 Sub,Tu16...etc, however, CHinese took almost 3 decade to get to know the knowhow.
in 1990s,Russian also gave TOT of Su27 to chinese.however Chinese also took almost one decade to digest them and finish the indigesnation of flanker (except engine) . in fact, it was only sevear years ago that china acqured the capacity to modifty and upgrade the fleet of flanker independently
generaly speakingk, the more consolidated the infrastructure of your R&D and industry is ,the sooner you can digest TOT and finish RE..
During 1950s-1980s CHinese industry chain was quite outdated,so it took chinese 3 decades to finish the indigenation of T55 tank,mg21,tu16,033 sub..etc.
after Deng opened the door of china, chinese industry chain got upgrade rapidly ...so it is much easier for chinese defence industry to RE ,with the support of powerful ful industry chain.