IMO the Chinese don't and won't care about international copper...

IMO the Chinese don't and won't care about international copper markets supplying them for domestic consumption if they have mines they control supplying them with product which can be processed and stockpiled in strategic reserves. Much as they are probably doing with Australian iron ore and magnetite at the moment i.e. the CITIC operation at Cape Preston is reportedly always running at deficit, but it doesn't matter with a state run enterprise. If the product is considered strategic, the production can and will be propped up with funds from other avenues. And the Chinese monolith is not short of funds.