The Mexican government presented a budget proposal on Tuesday that includes new import tariffs on over 1,400 goods, the majority of which originate from Asian countries, in an effort to boost domestic production, as reported by the Associated Press. The move comes as the United States urges its North American ally to adopt a more unified stance against China.
Mexico’s Secretary of Finance and Public Credit Édgar Amador did not directly cite China but stated that the 2026 budget proposal would target nations lacking a trade agreement with Mexico. He emphasized that the tariffs would comply with World Trade Organization rules and assured that the government would remain attentive to any potential effects on production or pricing.
Amador acknowledged that the measures are taking place in the context of ongoing and future trade discussions with the nation’s North American partners but emphasized that the primary objective is to strengthen domestic production and consumption while working to reduce trade deficits.
Since the beginning of the year, Mexico has faced mounting challenges in trade talks with the Trump administration. President Donald Trump has threatened to raise the 25% tariffs he imposed on certain Mexican goods that fall outside the scope of the free-trade agreement with Mexico and Canada.
Meanwhile, Mexico began implementing its own tariffs on imports such as textiles in December and ramped up efforts to crack down on pirated goods from Asia.
There had been speculation about the measures targeting Asian imports, and Chinese government spokesperson Guo Jiakun voiced criticism of the proposal. He noted that Mexico is China’s second-largest trading partner in Latin America, while China stands as Mexico’s third-largest export market. Guo emphasized that China strongly opposes any restrictions imposed under pretenses or external pressure, arguing that such actions violate China’s legitimate rights and interests.
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