Claudia Sheinbaum, President of Mexico, facing the so-called 'Trump tariff' threat, expressed confidence on the 28th (local time) that there will be no tariff war with the United States. She also appeared to distance herself from recent indications of investment intentions by Chinese electric vehicle companies in Mexico.
According to daily newspapers such as The Guardian, President Sheinbaum confirmed during a regular press conference that she had spoken with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump the previous day and stated, "We agreed that there will be a good relationship between the two countries." She emphasized, "We did not specifically discuss tariffs," but added, "Potentially, there will be no tariff war."
On the 25th, President-elect Trump criticized Mexico and Canada, which share borders with the U.S., for inadequate measures against illegal immigration and drugs, and announced he would sign executive orders imposing 25% tariffs on both countries after taking office. In response, Mexico announced retaliatory tariffs but has also shown efforts to expand communication channels with President-elect Trump.
President Sheinbaum described her phone call with President-elect Trump the previous day as "very kind." She explained Mexico's migration initiatives during the call, and said that President-elect Trump acknowledged the government's efforts. She also mentioned that President-elect Trump expressed interest in a government-led program Mexico is promoting to address fentanyl abuse. Additionally, she said she raised the issue of U.S.-made firearms entering Mexico for drug cartels with President-elect Trump.
Furthermore, President Sheinbaum stated, "We have not confirmed any definite project proposals from Chinese automobile companies to establish factories in Mexico," and added, "There are no confirmed investments related to Chinese electric vehicles." This appears to refer to the Chinese electric vehicle company BYD. Industry insiders have speculated that Chinese companies, including BYD, might use Mexico as an export base to circumvent tariffs and enter the U.S. market. With President-elect Trump's inauguration scheduled for January next year, the Mexican government is in a position where it cannot fully welcome Chinese companies' investments due to the threat of large-scale tariffs.
President Sheinbaum emphasized, "Since we have an agreement (USMCA) with the U.S. and Canada, we prioritize trade with these countries," and added, "This is the approach we have taken, and we have openly communicated this to everyone."
Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden, who is set to leave office in January next year, responded to questions about President-elect Trump's tariff plans by saying, "I hope he reconsiders. This is unproductive," and added, "He should not start damaging relations with Mexico and Canada."
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