For the first time in more than two decades, last year Mexico surpassed China as the leading source of goods imported into the United States.
The shift reflects the growing tensions between Washington and Beijing as well as U.S. efforts to import from countries which are friendlier and closer to home.
Figures released by the U.S. Commerce Department show that the value of goods imported to the United States from Mexico rose nearly 5% from 2022 to 2023, to more than $475 billion. The value of Chinese imports imports fell 20%. The last time that Mexican goods imported to the United States exceeded the value of China’s imports was in 2002.