Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed she will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting, to be held on November 18 and 19 in Shenzhen, and said she will seek a meeting with Donald Trump if the U.S. president attends. She announced it at her morning press conference on Thursday, November 5, according to Bloomberg Línea: she will leave early on November 15 and expects to return on the 20th.
The meeting comes at a delicate moment for the trade relationship. Mexico imported $133.24 billion from China in 2025 and sold it just $9.92 billion, a deficit of $123.3 billion, the largest since at least 2015, according to the data Mexico itself reports to UN Comtrade. And since January 1, 2026, tariffs of up to 50% have applied to hundreds of products from countries without a trade agreement, China among them. This article brings together the figures and the context.
What we know about Sheinbaum's meeting with Xi Jinping
Sheinbaum said there will be several bilateral meetings and that cabinet secretaries from both governments will take part in the one with Xi Jinping. On Trump she was cautious: "We are not yet certain that President Trump will go; if he does, of course we are interested in meeting him, and it will depend on how long he is there," Bloomberg Línea quoted her as saying.
One reason for the trip is protocol: in Shenzhen, Mexico will receive the baton as host of the 2028 APEC summit. It will be Sheinbaum's first APEC summit; the last Mexican president to attend was Andrés Manuel López Obrador, in 2023. APEC brings together 21 economies, including the United States, China, Japan, Canada, Chile and Peru.
View the data as a table
| Mexico City | Departure on Nov. 15; APEC host in 2028 |
| Shenzhen | APEC Leaders' Meeting, Nov. 18-19 |
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Summit | APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting |
| Venue and dates | Shenzhen, China, November 18-19, 2026 |
| Sheinbaum's trip | Leaves on November 15 and returns on the 20th |
| Confirmed bilateral | Xi Jinping (with secretaries from both governments) |
| Bilateral sought | Donald Trump, if he attends the summit |
| Next Mexican host year | APEC 2028 (Mexico receives the baton in Shenzhen) |
Source: the president's November 5 press conference, according to Bloomberg Línea. The delegation's detailed agenda had not been published at the time of writing.
- Dec. 29, 2025Tariff decree in the Official GazetteRaises tariffs to between 5% and 50% on 1,463 tariff lines from countries without a trade agreement with Mexico, China among them.
- Jan. 1, 2026Tariffs take effect
- Sept. 2026Sheinbaum confirms she will attend APEC
- Nov. 5, 2026Announces the meeting with Xi Jinping
- Nov. 15, 2026Trip to China
- Nov. 18-19, 2026APEC Leaders' Meeting in ShenzhenMexico takes over as 2028 host.
Mexico-China trade in figures
China is Mexico's second-largest supplier, behind only the United States. In 2025 it accounted for 20.1% of all Mexican imports, up from 17.7% in 2015. But as a destination for Mexican exports its weight is tiny: 1.5% of the total, compared with 81.9% that goes to the United States. For every dollar Mexico sells to China, it buys 13.4.
View the data as a table
| Imports from China | US$ 133.2 bn |
| Exports to China | US$ 9.9 bn |
| Deficit with China | US$ 123.3 bn |
| Imported per dollar exported | US$ 13.4 |
| Year | Imports from China ($ million) | Exports to China ($ million) | Balance ($ million) | % of total imports |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 69,990 | 4,870 | −65,120 | 17.7% |
| 2019 | 83,030 | 6,910 | −76,120 | 18.2% |
| 2020 | 73,510 | 7,790 | −65,720 | 19.2% |
| 2021 | 101,020 | 9,080 | −91,940 | 20.0% |
| 2022 | 118,730 | 10,810 | −107,920 | 19.6% |
| 2023 | 114,680 | 9,150 | −105,530 | 18.9% |
| 2024 | 129,450 | 9,080 | −120,370 | 20.3% |
| 2025 | 133,240 | 9,920 | −123,320 | 20.1% |
Source: UN Comtrade, data reported by Mexico (total merchandise value), retrieved November 6, 2026. The figures China reports for the same trade do not match exactly because of recording differences between countries (freight, re-exports and timing), which is common in trade statistics.
View the data as a table
| Imports from China | Exports to China | |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | US$ 70.0 | US$ 4.9 |
| 2016 | US$ 69.5 | US$ 5.4 |
| 2017 | US$ 74.2 | US$ 6.7 |
| 2018 | US$ 83.5 | US$ 7.4 |
| 2019 | US$ 83.0 | US$ 6.9 |
| 2020 | US$ 73.5 | US$ 7.8 |
| 2021 | US$ 101.0 | US$ 9.1 |
| 2022 | US$ 118.7 | US$ 10.8 |
| 2023 | US$ 114.7 | US$ 9.2 |
| 2024 | US$ 129.5 | US$ 9.1 |
| 2025 | US$ 133.2 | US$ 9.9 |
A deficit with China that keeps growing
Imports from China nearly doubled in a decade: they rose from $69.99 billion in 2015 to $133.24 billion in 2025 (+90%). Mexican exports to China also rose, from $4.87 billion to $9.92 billion, but from a very small base. The result is a negative balance that went from $65.1 billion to $123.3 billion.
Between 2024 and 2025, while purchases from the United States fell from $262.73 billion to $249.92 billion, purchases from China rose from $129.45 billion to $133.24 billion. Washington accuses China and other Asian countries of using Mexico to "triangulate" goods into the U.S. market by taking advantage of the USMCA, Bloomberg Línea noted. More on the relationship with the United States in what Mexico had at stake in the midterm elections and in our story on September exports.
Mexico's tariffs on China in 2026
On December 29, 2025, the Official Gazette (DOF) published the decree that amended 1,463 tariff lines of the General Import and Export Tax Law for goods from countries with which Mexico has no free trade agreement, such as China. The tariffs range from 5% to 50% and have applied since January 1, 2026, Diario de México and BioBioChile reported.
| Product type | Tariff |
|---|---|
| Auto parts (headlights, bumpers, car radios) | 25% to 50% |
| Clothing, footwear, hygiene products, glass, steel, metal furniture | Up to 35% |
| School and office supplies, toys, fans | 30% |
| Shampoo, microwave ovens, plastic or bamboo furniture | 25% |
Source: decree published in the DOF on December 29, 2025, according to Diario de México. Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard estimated at the time revenue of more than 70 billion pesos and a 0.2-point effect on inflation. Even with the duties, Bloomberg Línea reports record imports from Asian countries in 2026; the full-year figure by country for this year is not yet available.
What is at stake for Mexico at the APEC summit
- The deficit with China: the meeting with Xi Jinping comes with the 2026 tariffs already in force and a trade balance heavily tilted against Mexico.
- The relationship with the United States: the USMCA review and the triangulation accusations mean any deal with China will be watched from Washington.
- APEC 2028: Mexico will be the host and receives the baton in Shenzhen.
- A possible meeting with Trump: it depends on whether the U.S. president attends and how long he stays.
Other figures on the Mexican economy: third-quarter GDP, September remittances and the ranking of exports to the United States in Latin America.
Frequently asked questions
When is the 2026 APEC summit?
The APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting will be held on November 18-19, 2026, in Shenzhen, China. Sheinbaum travels from November 15 and expects to return on the 20th.
Will Sheinbaum meet Trump?
She will try to if Trump attends the summit. As of November 5, the president said there was no certainty he would attend.
How much does Mexico trade with China?
In 2025 Mexico imported $133.24 billion from China and exported $9.92 billion, according to UN Comtrade data reported by Mexico.
What tariffs does Mexico charge China?
Since January 1, 2026, a tariff of between 5% and 50% has applied to 1,463 tariff lines from countries without a trade agreement with Mexico, China among them.
When will Mexico host APEC?
In 2028. Sheinbaum will receive the baton at the Shenzhen summit.
