For the first part, yep. Samuel Slater (known as the "Father of the American Industrial Revolution" in the US, but "Slater the Traitor" in the UK) was the most well known example, but was also simply one piece of a large policy of ignoring European parents and encouraging people to come with 'stolen technology' to the US and make a competing company here.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Slater

Also, the Chinese are absolutely making a profit on their exports, so I'd question your "below cost" broad characterization.