Lithium Ion is always prone to fire. If you wrap it in a hard-enough case so it can't be punctured, and then slap electronics on the end to "emergency cut power" when a catastrophe is detected... you can prevent the fires.
The issue with Samsung's "explosive" battery was that it had to be thin (so it had a soft case), and when you sat on it... it'd bend internal connections and then short them out.
--------------
Honestly... I'd expect China to build the typical 18650-cell without any issues.
Unfortunately for China, Tesla isn't putting "typical" 18650 cells into their cars. They're putting in Silicon enhanced Lithium Ion with optimized chemistry for maximum power with minimum weight.
THAT's the problem. I don't think there's a very big marketplace for "typical" Lithium Ion cells. Its about the recent innovations that have made batteries lighter, more flexible, and deliver more power.
So the real question is: can China build Silicon-Lithium Ion Cells to the specifications of Tesla's Gigafactory? I have my doubts. There's a reason why Elon Musk built his own factory (with help from Panasonic)