From Beijing to Washington: Is Mexico’s trade shift a strategic move or survival tactic?
Mexico’s aluminium industry once leaned on China as a way to soften the blow of US trade barriers is now moving on the other side. When Washington imposed tariffs on Chinese goods in 2018, large volumes of aluminium were rerouted through Mexico, some of it processed locally before being shipped on to the US.
The opening came a year earlier, in 2017, when the US removed tariffs on Mexican aluminium. With duty-free access under USMCA, Mexico became an attractive route for Chinese producers to slip past American trade restrictions. Imports surged, raising concerns that the sector was becoming too dependent on Asian supply.
From the export data, we can see the change: in 2024, Mexico’s exports to China were about USD 9.08 billion, dominated by copper ores and concentrates (USD 5.17 billion), alongside other minerals and limited manufactured goods. In 2025, exports slipped to around USD 6 billion, still concentrated in copper and minerals and slightly below the previous year’s level.
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