Ebrard explained that the new tariffs on products from several countries, including China, are to protect jobs and provide a “level playing field”; They are not designed politically, but rather for economic protection, nor do they go against a country.
Mexico City, December 15 (However).– The Secretary of Economy, Marcelo Ebrard Casaubónannounced this Monday the details of the new tariff package contra products from various Asian countries and of other regionsincluded Chinaand explained that This is not a political design.but are entrusted to the protection of 350 thousand Mexican jobs and for guarantee “level playing field”.
“What is the purpose of this tariff package? In short: taking care of 350,000 jobs in Mexico is the ultimate goal,” Ebrard said at President Claudia Sheinbaum’s morning conference.
“In the textile and clothing, footwear and steel sectors, and now also the automotive industry, is where we are seeing the most impacts on employment. Not because they cannot compete, but because they are receiving products with prices below the international reference prices: that is, there is no level floor,” he indicated.
If the differences continued, he warned, by the end of 2026 Mexico would lose those 350 thousand jobs in those sectors. “When the floor is uneven, you have to correct, remedy it is called, that disadvantage, that injustice. It is very important to take measures in time,” stood out Ebrard.
The head of the Ministry of Economy (SE) explained that Mexico has a “trade imbalance” with Asia: we import 10 times more than we export, something he described as “unsustainable.” These are mainly 10 countries: Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, South Korea, Chinese Taipei and China.
Ebrard announced that, to propose the tariff package that has already been approved with changes in Congress, 17 strategic industrial sectors were selected, led by textiles and clothing, footwear and steel, and automotive. In them, 1,463 “tariff fractions” were located, that is, specific objects that are imported.
“It is not a decision per country, Mexico does not establish tariffs on a country. The objective is not to charge more compared to a country that manufactures a certain product. The objective is to protect industrial sectors, the organization is by product and it is with countries with which we do not have trade agreements,” explained the official.
“It is not a geopolitical design, we do not charge a product because it was made in a country. Tariffs are imposed to protect Mexico,” reiterated the head of the SE from the National Palace. He also highlighted that the rates are intended to “not generate inflationary pressures”, since it would be an impact of 0.2 percent in that section, compared to hundreds of thousands of jobs on the line.
However, the tariff package does seek to “protect the Mexican industry from abuses by third countries with which Mexico does not have trade agreements.” Ebrard stressed that there was dialogue with all the countries that had some type of specific tariffs due to the objects they produce.
The Secretary of Economy announced the entities with the greatest impact on possible job losses due to the lack of an even floor, which is corrected with the new tariffs:
• Aguascalientes
• Guanajuato
• Baja California
• Jalisco
• Chihuahua
• Nuevo León
• Coahuila
• Puebla
• State of Mexico
• Queretaro
Sheinbaum reiterates: We do not seek enmity with any country
President Claudia Sheinbaum agreed with Ebrard regarding the lack of an even floor and stated that there will be no inflation “neither in food nor in many products” derived from these measures. He highlighted that many intermediate products did not suffer an increase in tariffs.
“The objective is not to lose jobs and increase them through other instruments, and through public and private investment in the country. The fact that it is not desirable to impose an import tax depends on the characteristics and circumstances: we stated from the beginning that we wanted an import substitution policy in some areas,” explained the president.
This is part of Plan Mexico, even before Donald Trump’s return to power in the United States, so that the country would stop importing so much and export more.
“These are measures that are not aimed at any country, but rather at ensuring that more jobs are not lost in certain strategic industries. We do not want enmity with any country, but rather they are simply decisions that are made in agreement with different business sectors in the country, in all cases we have dialogue, with South Korea, China, with everyone,” Sheinbaum highlighted.
Chinese accuse “protectionism” for new tariffs
Following the approval of the tariff package, the Asian country’s Ministry of Commerce said last week through a spokesperson that China has always opposed unilateral tariff increases in all their forms, and urged Mexico to correct its incorrect practices of unilateralism and protectionism as soon as possible.
“We have taken note of the relevant reports and will closely monitor the implementation of the Mexican measures and further evaluate their potential impact,” the spokesperson said. “We hope that the Mexican side attaches great importance to this matter and acts with prudence,” he said.
And the approved reform implements tariffs on 1,463 products imported from Asian countries, mainly China: several of them already had a tax that now increases, but on 316 products from China, South Korea, India, Vietnam, Thailand, Brazil, Indonesia, Taiwan, Nicaragua, the United Arab Emirates and South Africa they are applied for the first time.
These are tariffs on the import of various goods in the following sectors: auto parts, light cars, clothing, plastics, steel, household appliances, toys, textiles, furniture, footwear, leather goods, paper and cardboard; motorcycles, aluminum, trailers, glass and soaps, perfume and cosmetics.