In the context of a trip to Japan and South Korea, Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell commented on issues related to critical minerals, trade relations with China, and China's CPTPP accession. On China's CPTPP accession prospects, Farrell expressed doubt about China's chances of joining

Chinese electronic vehicle (EV) maker NIO is making a big investment to secure its access to lithium, a raw material used in EV batteries.

Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) is pressing the Biden Administration on a possible Energy Department loan to support a U.S. lithium mine investment by a company with ties to Chinese lithium company Ganfeng.

Two Republican members of Congress have introduced legislation that would respond to concerns about China and Russia having too much power over critical minerals around the world.

An EU-Indonesia WTO dispute over Indonesian export restrictions on nickel ore has a close connection to Chinese investment in the Indonesian nickel processing sector. A recent statement by the Indonesian President suggests Indonesia is likely to lose the WTO litigation, but even so, their goal with the policy seems to

Chile has long been considered a relatively free market-oriented bastion in South America, with more openness to foreign investment and trade than most countries on the continent. In recent years, though, there have been rising protests from the left against existing economic policies, with concerns raised about inequality and unfairness.

The Mexican government is moving towards more state involvement in the mining of its natural resources, including lithium. This policy shift will have implications for Chinese companies that have signed lithium mining contracts in Mexico.