Key elements of Mexico’s strategy toward China:

A proposal for a Mexican compatibility policy to attract investment, protect North American integration, and manage relations with China

October 2026

The Mexican Council on Foreign Relations presents the report Key Elements of Mexico’s Strategy toward China: A Proposal for a Mexican Compatibility Policy to Attract Investment, Protect North American Integration, and Manage Relations with China, which explores how Mexico should manage this relationship in light of its own interests and specific circumstances.

This publication stems from the sustained interest of COMEXI members and various initiatives undertaken by the Council. It forms part of a broader reflection on the decisions Mexico must make in response to shifts in global power dynamics, changes in the rules governing the world economy, and competition between the United States and China.

The United States remains Mexico’s main economic partner, and North American integration is one of the foundations of its development. China plays a central role in the global economy and in industries and technologies that will be decisive over the coming decades, including batteries, energy, telecommunications, robotics, advanced manufacturing, and artificial intelligence. Mexico is closely tied to one power and increasingly exposed to the other, while both continue to compete and remain interdependent.

This position calls for independent criteria and a long-term vision. The report proposes a Mexican compatibility policy to assess investment, trade, technology, and cooperation opportunities with China, taking into account their benefits, costs, and risks for Mexico, as well as their implications for economic and productive integration in North America.

The proposal sets out transparent and predictable criteria to distinguish beneficial projects from those that could create vulnerabilities, affect strategic sectors, or generate tensions with North American commitments. Its aim is to seize opportunities while protecting the assets and relationships that are essential to the country’s development.

Decisions regarding investment, production chains, and Mexico’s integration into the global economy will have consequences that extend well beyond the current circumstances. Through this report, COMEXI seeks to contribute to public debate and decision-making while strengthening Mexico’s ability to define and defend its interests in an increasingly unpredictable environment.

Download the report here