Sheinbaum Says Meeting Xi at APEC Won’t Hurt US Trade Talks
President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Nov. 12 that her APEC meeting with China's Xi Jinping should not affect trade talks with the US. What she plans to raise there.
President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Thursday, Nov. 12, that a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders’ summit should not cause problems for Mexico’s trade relationship with the United States, according to the newspaper El Universal.
She spoke at her daily morning press conference, known as the Mañanera, after a reporter asked whether the contact with Beijing could prompt US President Donald Trump to threaten higher tariffs on Mexico. Her answer was that the free trade agreement with Washington and the talks around it are separate from a conversation with China.
What Sheinbaum said about China and the US
Sheinbaum noted that Mexico has no free trade agreement with China, but said the two countries still trade with each other and that it is important to talk and share views. “Mexico is a friend of all countries in the world,” she said, adding that the meeting should not interfere with the negotiations over the trade deal with the United States.
She also pointed out that APEC is an international forum where the United States, Mexico, China and Russia all take part. Trump is expected at the summit as well, she said, although in her words everything points to his attendance and there is not yet a confirmation. Mexico works with the United States and has a free trade relationship with it, she said.
Bilateral meetings planned at the summit
On Nov. 5, Sheinbaum said she would seek a meeting with Trump if he travels to the summit, depending on how long he stays. On Thursday, Marcelo Ebrard, Mexico’s economy chief, said she will hold bilateral meetings with Xi and with representatives of Canada, Australia, Vietnam and other countries.
The tariff background
Sheinbaum said Mexico raised tariffs in December 2025 on certain sectors from countries with which it has no free trade agreement. She described the goal as promoting investment in Mexico and growth in domestic added value, and called that the vision behind her Plan México.
At APEC she plans to present Plan México to the other leaders, focusing on investment, permits and special conditions for importing goods. She also said she wants more collaboration with the Chinese government, and not only on economic matters, citing China’s significant development in many fields.
Why it matters for people in Mexico
Tariffs and trade rules between Mexico, the United States and China affect the prices of imported goods and the investment decisions of companies that operate in Mexico. The question put to Sheinbaum reflects concern that closer contact with Beijing could invite pressure from Washington while the trade agreement talks continue.
For now, the Mexican government’s position is that it can deal with both countries at once. Whether the White House sees it the same way has not been stated in the sources reporting on Thursday’s press conference. Sheinbaum’s APEC meetings with Xi and other leaders are the next events to watch.
Source: El Universal
