Sheinbaum Aims to Calm China Tensions After Tariff Backlash
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Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum defended her push to slap new tariffs on Chinese imports, insisting she does not seek conflict with the world’s No. 2 economy but instead wants to protect domestic industry.
She also stressed that Mexico’s aggressive new trade stance is not related to ongoing talks with the U.S., while her top trade official estimated that less than 9% of imports would be affected.
“We want to talk and discuss without creating any conflict,” Sheinbaum told reporters during her daily news conference Sept. 11.
Sheinbaum is proposing up to 50% tariffs on some goods from China, among other mostly Asian nations, with targets including imported cars, auto parts and steel. The move has attracted swift pushback from Beijing, which urged Mexico to reconsider.
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Mexico should exercise “the utmost caution and think twice” before hiking tariffs on its goods, according to a Chinese government statement. The statement went on to accuse Mexico of pursuing “appeasement” in response to what it cited as U.S. tariff abuses and bullying from Washington.
For decades, Mexico has embraced open trade through dozens of bilateral and multilateral agreements. But in recent months, it has come under growing pressure from Donald Trump’s protectionist stance, particularly his push for steep tariffs on Chinese goods.
Sheinbaum added that her government is in contact with the embassies of China and South Korea to explain its plans, which she argued seek to strengthen the Mexican economy.
“This isn’t conceived as part of negotiations with the United States but rather a national project,” she said, adding that the tariff plan must still be evaluated and approved by Congress.
In comments earlier in the day, Sheinbaum’s top trade official, Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard, argued that cheap Chinese-made autos are distorting the local industry, one of Mexico’s most important manufacturing sectors.
In an interview with local broadcaster Radio Formula, the minister singled out imports of “cars from Asia, especially China, because the average price indicates a strategy to gain market share, which puts the Mexican industry at disadvantage.”
Mexico has replaced Russia as the top destination for exports of Chinese cars, which rose by nearly a quarter in the first half of 2025 compared with the same period a year earlier, according to the China Passenger Car Association.
The higher tariffs Mexico is planning would apply to a list of more than 1,400 categories of products coming from countries with which Mexico has no trade agreement, including China but also South Korea and India.
The import taxes would also affect items such as toys and furniture, with rates of 10% to 50% depending on the category.
