Mexico approves sweeping tariff hikes on Asian imports ahead of 2026 trade shift: Video
Mexico’s Senate has approved sweeping tariff increases, some reaching up to 50% on imports from China, India, South Korea and several other Asian countries without trade agreements with Mexico.
The new tariffs will apply to a broad range of products, including vehicles, auto parts, textiles, clothing, steel, plastics, appliances, aluminium, toys, footwear, furniture, motorcycles, trailers, paper and cardboard.
Supporters of the bill, largely from government-aligned parties, argued that the higher import duties are necessary to protect domestic industries from what they described as unfair competition, particularly from China.
They said the country is flooded with artificially low-priced goods sold below production cost, undermining Mexican producers.
“The bill focuses on 17 strategic sectors and 1,463 tariff items… A significant part of these imports comes from countries with which we do not have a trade agreement, particularly China, where the deficit is excessive,” said Senator Imelda Sanmiguel Sánchez of the National Action Party.
However, opposition lawmakers criticised the move, accusing the government of acting under pressure from Washington ahead of next year’s scheduled review of the USMCA trade pact.
Cristina Ruiz Sandoval of the Institutional Revolutionary Party warned that tariffs alone would not solve deeper structural issues. “Can a tariff package correct a structural investment problem? Can tariffs attract capital, generate confidence and move companies toward value-added sectors? The answer, unfortunately, is no,” she said.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
