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US-China trade war
ChinaDiplomacy

Mexico will not choose sides in US-China tariff war, but envoy urges Beijing to help boost trade

Mexican ambassador acknowledges US is No 1 partner, but seeks ‘political friendship’ and China’s help to fix trade imbalance

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Mexico’s top envoy to China, Jesús Seade, says that while the United States remains Mexico’s top political and trade partner, that does not mean his country would choose sides if Washington was angry with Beijing. Photo: WTO
Sylvie Zhuangin Beijing

Mexico will not take sides in the US-China tariff war and aims to boost agricultural exports to tackle its trade imbalance with China, according to Mexico’s top envoy to Beijing.

Speaking at an event hosted by the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China on Wednesday, ambassador Jesús Seade acknowledged the United States was Mexico’s top trade partner, but stressed Mexico’s commitment to maintaining strong ties with China.

“There is no question that the US is our No 1 partner in business, in politics, in everything,” Seade said at the event in Beijing.

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“But that does not mean that we choose sides. If they [US] get angry with China, we are angry with China? Not at all.”

Jesús Seade, Mexico’s envoy to China, at an event on Wednesday hosted by Renmin University of China. Photo: SCMP
Jesús Seade, Mexico’s envoy to China, at an event on Wednesday hosted by Renmin University of China. Photo: SCMP
Earlier this month in Geneva, China and the US agreed to a temporary truce, rolling back tariffs for 90 days. But the sustained trade tensions have spread to multiple geopolitical fronts, including growing competition for influence in the Global South, as well as with crucial trade partners like Mexico.
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