Mexico’s president defended proposed Mexican tariffs against China, saying the import fees are meant to boost domestic production.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said at a press conference Friday that the tariffs against China weren’t meant to be coercive, after criticism from Chinese officials.
“These aren’t measures against one country,” Sheinbaum said. “We have a really good relationship with China.”
China’s commerce minister said the tariffs, if they go into place, would be quote “appeasement and compromise towards unilateral bullying.”
Mexico is seeking to avoid higher and broader tariffs from the United States, which wants it to reduce its economic relationship with China.
The proposed Mexican tariffs are on more than 1,400 products from China and other Asian countries, including cars, textiles, toys and other goods.