Exclusive | Mexican envoy to ‘good friend’ China talks trade and ‘bad news’ beef with US
- Ambassador Jesús Seade says US is top business partner, but pushes back against Washington’s attempt to call the shots on dealings with China
Tariffs imposed by the Mexican government serve to incentivise Chinese companies to invest and produce in Mexico – a “natural partner” for China to export its manufacturing capacity overseas, according to Mexico’s envoy to the country.
And Chinese companies investing in Mexico need not be worried about the rising wariness or even threats from the United States, as their legitimate rights are protected under Mexico’s legal framework, ambassador Jesús Seade told the South China Morning Post.
“Mexico needs diversification of its political, economic and commercial basket, and China is a key actor of that and a good friend for Mexico,” Seade said.
While it is crucial for Mexico City to maintain a good relationship with Washington, which has a huge influence – politically, economically and culturally – on Mexico, it is equally important to have a very good relationship with the rest of the world, he said.
The Latin American country has increasingly become a hot destination for Chinese companies venturing overseas in recent years, thanks to an ongoing restructuring of US-China trade and Washington’s nearshoring strategy.
When [China and the US] disagree and introduce measures that do not help each other … that is bad news for [Mexico]
Under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), a free-trade pact between the three countries that came into effect in 2020, products produced in Mexico that meet certain rules of origin can be exported to the US without tariffs.
