The Daily Populous Friday September 12nd, 2025 evening edition
Authored by cnbc.com and submitted by Themetalin

The Leopard 8 is one of the three cars BYD's Fang Cheng Bao brand unveiled in Shenzhen on April 16, 2024.

BEIJING — China's Ministry of Commerce has warned Mexico of countermeasures as the country plans to hike tariffs on Asia-made cars to 50%.

We "hope Mexico will be extremely cautious, and think twice before acting," the ministry said in a statement late Thursday, translated by CNBC.

"China and Mexico are mutually important trade partners," the ministry said. "We are not willing to see both sides' economic cooperation affected by this situation."

Mexico's secretary of economy, Marcelo Ebrard, told reporters Wednesday that the country planned to raise tariffs on vehicles coming from Asia, particularly China, to 50% from the current 20%. The increased duties still need congressional approval, and the tariffs would take effect 30 days later, he said.

"China will take necessary measures ... to resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests," China's statement read.

Faced with "U.S. abuse of tariffs," countries should safeguard free trade, China said. "The coercion of others should never sacrifice third-party interests."

Mexico's planned China tariffs are part of a broader federal budget proposal that would affect $52 billion worth of the country's imports, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.

In the ongoing trade tensions with the U.S., China's countermeasures have included restrictions on exports of minerals critical to the production of cars and other advanced technology. Chinese companies have come to dominate the supply chain for many of those minerals.

Sitting on the southern border of the U.S., Mexico benefits from the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, for tariff-free trade among the countries. But the USMCA, which took effect in 2020, requires a far greater portion of a vehicle to be made in the region than the North American Free Trade Agreement agreement it replaced.

Linny911 on September 12nd, 2025 at 14:51 UTC »

Mexico can be rest assured that the CCP has been and/or will be taking actions behind the scenes to ensure it's export products to China never get to a level of any significance, unless its low value goods like Tortilla, so it should be feel good doing whatever it needs to do against CCP exports.

If a country can shut off trade to zero overnight without so much as a public announcement while its public tariffs are still at the same level as before and is willing to look at you with a best fake smile when inquired, you can use your imagination on what else has been done, can be done, and will be done. Best solution is to cut it to as zero as fast and as much as possible.

The West has been, can be, and is willing to be export destination for high valued manufactured goods from Mexico in a way that China will never be, with the CCP merely viewing places like Mexico, Malaysia, Vietnam etc... to be sources of transhipments to slither into the Western markets while they become its banana, durian, and tortilla farmers.

manniesalado on September 12nd, 2025 at 09:51 UTC »

These cars China makes are electric, and very affordable, so you could see a boom in electric generation in Mexico and those are jobs too. Mexico would have tons of potential for wind and solar. Mexico has a lot of sunny days.

Themetalin on September 12nd, 2025 at 09:01 UTC »

China’s Ministry of Commerce has warned Mexico of countermeasures as the country plans to hike tariffs on Asia-made cars to 50%.

We “hope Mexico will be extremely cautious, and think twice before acting,” the ministry said in a statement late Thursday, translated by CNBC.

“China and Mexico are mutually important trade partners,” the ministry said. “We are not willing to see both sides’ economic cooperation affected by this situation.”

Mexico’s Secretary of Economy Marcelo Ebrard told reporters Wednesday that the country planned to raise tariffs on vehicles coming from Asia, particularly China, to 50% from the current 20%. The increased duties still need Congressional approval, and the tariffs would take effect 30 days later, he said.

“China will take necessary measures ... to resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests,” China’s statement read.

Faced with “U.S. abuse of tariffs,” countries should safeguard free trade, China said. “The coercion of others should never sacrifice third-party interests.”