Mexico's Economy Secretary, Marcelo Ebrard, announced that Mexico will hold a high-level dialogue with China in 2026, focused on tariffs and market access conditions. This meeting will follow China's protest and investigation into Mexico's imposition of tariffs on its products starting in 2026. Ebrard emphasized that the bilateral Mexico-China relationship includes 'several meetings,' with the key being the establishment of a high-level group to address tariffs of up to 50% on Mexican exports and other trade frictions. Mexico will also present its own complaints to China. The top priority on the agenda will be the asymmetry in market access, particularly the difficulties Mexican exports face in China compared to the ease with which Chinese products enter Mexico. 'Our goal is to reach an agreement, but we will defend our point of view,' stated Ebrard. This bilateral dialogue will run parallel to other multilateral forums, such as the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting, to be held in China this year, where Mexico will also participate. The Ministry of Economy seeks to balance its trade relationship with China without compromising its strategy of import substitution and strengthening domestic productive chains in critical sectors like pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and petrochemicals.
