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Mexico Congress Approves Tariffs Up to 50% on Imports From China and Other Asian Nations

Officials say the duties will bolster domestic production and correct trade imbalances.

Products manufactured in China are displayed at a retail store inside a mall that specializes in Chinese imports, in downtown Mexico City, Mexico, September 11, 2025. REUTERS/Quetzalli Nicte-Ha
A drone view shows the Manzanillo seaport in Manzanillo, Mexico, April 22, 2025. REUTERS/Daniel Becerril
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum speaks during her daily morning press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)
Avocados imported from Mexico are displayed at a market in San Francisco, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Overview

  • Mexico’s Senate passed the bill 76–5 with 35 abstentions after the lower house vote of 281–24, with rates beginning January 1, 2026 and expanding through the year.
  • Duties mostly cap at 35% with selected items at 50% across roughly 1,400 tariff lines, covering automobiles and parts, textiles and apparel, plastics, steel, appliances and electronics from non‑FTA countries including China, India, South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia.
  • The government frames the policy as industrial support, and the finance ministry projects nearly 52 billion pesos in additional 2026 revenue.
  • Analysts say the move is calibrated to gain leverage with Washington ahead of the USMCA review and to seek relief from remaining U.S. tariffs on Mexican steel, aluminum and autos.
  • Domestic business groups and China voiced strong objections over cost and inflation risks, and the law grants Mexico’s Economy Ministry authority to revise tariffs on imports from countries without free‑trade agreements.