"The Chinese gov. is subsidising its lithium mining industry; both lepidolite mining and brine extraction in China."
I will assume that is the case. But so what? Is that illegal under the WTO rules?
No! Because if China had subsidised its lithium mining industry
illegally, other lithium producing countries such as Australia and Chile would have disputed the subsidy at WTO.
You obviously don't know the WTO rules on subsidy. The rules on subsidy are quite simple: subsidy must not be contingent on export performance or domestic content requirements.
Now, because China doesn't export its mined lithium, and its mined lithium doesn't replaced imported lithium, its subsidy to its lithium mining industry is
legal. As legal as Australia's subsidy to its lithium mining industry!
Know the fact! It matters!
(20min delay)