China has accused Mexico of breaching trade rules by raising tariffs on imports from countries outside its free trade agreements, reports Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post. The measures, announced by Mexico at the start of the year, primarily target Chinese goods.
The Ministry of Commerce in Beijing said on Wednesday that Mexico’s tariff hikes amount to trade and investment barriers. The announcement concluded an investigation launched in September into Mexico’s revised import duties.
China said it may now pursue further bilateral talks with Mexico or escalate the matter to a multilateral dispute resolution body such as the World Trade Organization.
Mexico’s new tariff regime, covering more than 1,400 products, took effect on January 1. Duties ranged from 5 to 50 per cent, with steel and vehicles among the hardest hit categories, according to China’s commerce ministry.
