The Ministry of Commerce Photo: VCG

China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) on Thursday urged Mexico to promptly correct its unilateralist and protectionist actions and announced that it has already initiated a trade and investment barrier investigation against Mexico, in response to reports of the Mexican Congress approving a proposal to impose tariffs on China. 

According to Mexican local media reports, on Wednesday local time, the Mexican Senate and House have passed a proposal to raise tariffs on non-free trade partners. The new tariff rates will take effect on January 1, 2026, and some of the tariff items and rates in the approved bill have been adjusted compared to the one the Mexican government submitted in September. 

Asked to comment on that, a spokesperson for the MOFCOM said that the ministry has noted relevant reports and will closely monitor the implementation of Mexico's measures while further assessing their potential impact. 

Compared to the September version, the proposal passed this time includes partial adjustments, with some reductions in the tariff increase rates for certain auto parts, light industrial products, textiles, and apparel. "However, overall, if implemented, the relevant measure would still substantially harm the interests of relevant trading partners, including China," the spokesperson said. 

The MOFCOM spokesperson said that China consistently opposes unilateral tariff increases in any form and hopes that Mexico will promptly correct such unilateralist and protectionist actions. To safeguard the interests of relevant Chinese industries, the MOFCOM initiated a trade and investment barrier investigation against Mexico in accordance with the law at the end of September, and the investigation is currently ongoing, the spokesperson said.

Reuters reported that Mexico's Senate approved on Wednesday tariff hikes of up to 50 percent on imports from China and several Asian countries starting next year. The proposal, passed earlier by the lower house, will raise or impose new duties of up to 50 percent from 2026 on certain goods such as autos, auto parts, textiles, clothing, plastics and steel from countries without trade deals with Mexico, including China, India, South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia. The majority of products will face tariffs of up to 35 percent, according to Reuters.

The MOFCOM spokesperson noted that a senior Mexican official recently stated in an interview that this tariff increase will serve the future review of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement. 

China welcomes efforts by relevant countries to resolve trade differences through economic and trade agreements. However, no agreement should come at the cost of affecting global trade development or harming China's legitimate interests. "We hope Mexico will take this seriously and act prudently," the MOFCOM spokesperson said.

China attaches great importance to economic and trade relations with Mexico and actively promotes the healthy and stable development of bilateral trade and investment cooperation. Against the backdrop of a complex and rapidly evolving international situation and the gathering clouds of trade protectionism, China expects Mexico to work with China in the same direction, strengthen communication and dialogue in the economic and trade field, properly managing differences, deepen practical cooperation, and jointly safeguard the overall interests of bilateral economic and trade relations, said the spokesperson.

Global Times