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The Latin American country relegated China and positioned itself in 2023 as the main source of goods imported by the United States. Official data show a 5% increase in imports from Mexico to the world's leading economy between 2022 and 2023 to $475 billion. The scenario further sinks the value of Chinese imports, which plummeted by 20% and accounts for the deterioration of relations between Beijing and Washington.
For the first time in two decades, the United States bought more goods from Mexico than from China. In terms of total US imports, lThe proportion represented by Chinese products remained at 13.9%, the lowest level since 2004, while Mexican products represented 15.4%.
The figures show the evident and already announced Joe Biden's Government's intention to move away from the Chinese economy and get closer to its “friendlier” partnersan intentional practice known as 'friend-shoring' and 'nearshoring'.
And despite the fact that historically the relations between Beijing and Washington have not been the best, the perfect scenario to distance ourselves at an economic level was created in the Covid-19 pandemic, when the problems reached the supply chains and China focused on making controls stricter with its “zero Covid” policy.
APEC: China and the United States seek to relax tensions in favor of their trade relations
With the excuse of a confined China and with the intention of diversifying its supplier options, Mexico became the perfect option.
From the Latin American country to its neighbor the United States, what is most exported are auto parts and precisely the trade agreement with which Canada also enters, signed in 2018 but put into effect in 2020, has helped boost the commercial relationship of the North American bloc.
Commercial friend, but immigration enemy?
Although the trade results come as a balm for the Mexican economy, the uncertainty of what may happen on its borders with the United States is not well received.
A new law is being debated in the US Senate that promises to interrupt the migratory flow between both countries if migration reaches a “saturation” point.
More than 4,000 migrants move through Mexico towards the US despite dispersion efforts
According to the proposal, supported by President Biden, asylum seekers will be expelled to Mexico and the border will be closed if the threshold of 5,000 irregular crossings per day is exceeded. A brand that even Donald Trump has said is not necessary to reach to close the doors.
And just with this scenario of doubt, in the north of Mexico, in Ciudad Juárez, the maquilas have already lost more than 25,000 jobs and the threat of the law coming into force has complicated the hiring of new personnel.
With AP
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