On Friday (28th local time), U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated in a Bloomberg interview that Mexico has proposed to impose additional tariffs on China matching those currently levied by the U.S., a move aimed at potentially avoiding U.S. plans to impose additional tariffs on Mexico starting March 4. Bessent also urged Canada to adopt similar measures.
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According to Reuters, during a February 28 interview, Bessent revealed that Mexico had suggested aligning its tariff policies toward China with those of the U.S., calling the proposal “very interesting” and encouraging Canada to follow suit. He emphasized, “If Canada joins, it would strengthen our collective effort to build a ‘North American fortress’ against surging Chinese imports.”
U.S. President Trump’s proposed imposition of additional tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada, and China—including an extra 10% on Chinese products—is set to take effect March 4. Ahead of the deadline, senior Mexican officials held trade talks with Trump’s cabinet members.
Prior to this week’s negotiations, Bessent hinted to Mexican officials in Washington that proactively choosing to impose additional tariffs on Chinese imports could help avert Trump’s threatened tariffs. Mexican officials agreed, pledging to raise tariffs on Chinese goods while boosting purchases of U.S. products to avoid the 25% tariffs threatened by Trump. This strategy may allow Mexico to escape the 25% additional tariffs the U.S. plans to enforce on March 4.
Mexico’s proposed tariffs would target automobiles, auto parts, and select manufactured goods—a likely countermeasure against the U.S.’s impending 25% tariffs on Mexican goods. President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration has spent months analyzing U.S. and Canadian policies toward China, seeking a “more unified” approach to address perceived “unfair Chinese trade practices.”
On February 27, Mexican Deputy Economy Minister Luz María de la Mora indicated that beyond imposing additional tariffs on Chinese “low-cost goods,” Mexico might adopt further trade measures. Previously, such goods entered Mexico under a tax-exempt “minimum limit” policy.
This proposal complicates the trilateral trade dynamics among China, the U.S., and Mexico. Data shows China-Mexico bilateral trade hit $100 billion in 2024, with Mexico facing a $65–70 billion deficit. Meanwhile, China-Canada trade totaled $93 billion, with negligible imbalance.
The Chinese Embassy in the U.S. condemned unilateral tariff hikes as violations of WTO rules, harming global interests. Spokesperson Liu Pengyu stated: “Pressure and threats against China are misguided. Mutual respect is essential. We urge the U.S. to cease its errors and return to resolving differences through equal dialogue.”