Mexico's Decoupling Strategy from China: The United States Reasserts Control Over Its Southern Strategic Neighborhood

On March 20, 2026, China’s Ministry of Commerce issued a statement expressing dissatisfaction with the Mexican government’s intention to revise its economic security policy in order to restrict Chinese investment and bilateral trade.

The ministry also announced preparations for countermeasures in response to Mexican tariffs introduced in 2025. This marks the first instance of such harsh rhetoric toward Mexico City in decades.

The immediate trigger for the statement was public remarks made in March 2026 by Mexico’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Trade, Luis Rosendo Gutiérrez. According to him, the Mexican government is interested in maintaining a strategic consensus with the United States on duty-free trade.