This aerial view shows the Port of Ensenada in Baja California state, Mexico on April 11, 2025. Photo:VCG

When asked about media report claiming that the Mexican government plans to raise tariffs on China as part of its 2026 budget proposal, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Thursday that "Mexico is China's second largest trading partner in Latin America, and China is Mexico's third largest export destination. Our trade and economic cooperation benefits both sides."

"China always advocates a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and opposes unilateralism, protectionism and discriminatory and exclusive measures in any form," Guo said, stressing that China firmly opposes moves that are taken under coercion to constrain China or undermine China's legitimate rights and interests under any pretext. 

"We believe the relevant country will uphold independence and properly handle relevant matters," he said.

The Mexican government plans to increase tariffs on China as part of its 2026 budget proposal next month, protecting the nation's businesses from cheap imports and satisfying a longstanding demand of the US, Bloomberg reported on Thursday.

The tariff hikes, expected for imports including cars, textiles and plastics, aim to shelter domestic manufacturers from subsidized Chinese competition, according to three people briefed on the matter, who asked not to be identified when revealing details of the plans, per Bloomberg. 

While the sectors reported to be targeted are precisely those where China holds strong competitiveness in global supply chains, other Asian countries are also expected to face higher tariffs, one of the people said, according to the report.

Although Bloomberg said the tariff rates were not yet clear and the plan could still change, it's clear that since the beginning of this year, the US has been pressuring its largest trading partner, not only Mexico, to follow the country in imposing higher tariffs on Chinese imports.

In late February this year, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent encouraged Canada to follow Mexico in matching US tariffs on Chinese goods, according to Reuters.

Mexico, as a key member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), is obliged under the WTO framework to extend most-favored-nation treatment by granting equal tariff arrangements to all members — a basic norm of international trade, Zhou Mi, a senior researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the Global Times on Thursday. 

If the report is true, the move shows that the US is not only undermining multilateral rules, but also pressuring other countries to abandon the fundamental principles of international trade cooperation, Zhou said. 

Zhou cautioned that US tariffs have already undermined multilateral rules, and dragging other countries into breaking trade norms is a self-serving move that harms others and runs counter to the very logic of international economic cooperation.

On July 31 local time, the US decided to extend its tariff agreement with Mexico for 90 days, maintaining a 25 percent tariff on Mexican goods outside the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). In addition, Mexican products face a 25 percent tariff on cars made in Mexico and a 50 percent rate on aluminum, copper and steel, according to the New York Post.

Tariff coercion further exposes US' tricks, He Weiwen, a senior fellow at the Center for China and Globalization told the Global Times on Thursday. "The US' bullying is not only reflected in its unilateral tariff hikes at home, but also in coercing other countries to impose tariffs on China. This goes far beyond international trade norms and is blatant bullying," He added.

Zhou noted that as a developing country, Mexico should understand that development is at the core of its economic policies to boost market confidence and foster effective international cooperation. Increasing dependence on the US would risk greater economic coercion and trade bullying in the future.

"Global trade cannot develop on the basis of unequal tariffs and discriminatory treatment, and no single country can unilaterally provide sustainable growth opportunities for others," he said.

According to China's General Administration of Customs, bilateral trade between China and Mexico reached $109.426 billion in 2024, with Chinese exports totaling $90.232 billion and imports standing at $19.195 billion.

Imports from China have played a key role in supporting Mexico's manufacturing growth and strengthening its foreign trade competitiveness, while delivering tangible benefits to people in both countries. At international exhibitions this year involving Chinese and Mexican companies, more Mexican firms have expressed willingness to work with Chinese partners to upgrade their business amid rising global uncertainties, according to People's Daily.