OTTAWA — Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland stated Tuesday she shares the “respectable” issues of U.S. officers about Mexico changing into a again door for China to wedge its manner into the North American buying and selling regime.
OTTAWA — Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland stated Tuesday she shares the “respectable” issues of U.S. officers about Mexico changing into a again door for China to wedge its manner into the North American buying and selling regime.
Freeland stated members of the outgoing administration of President Joe Biden and advisers of incoming president-elect Donald Trump have expressed “very grave” issues personally to her concerning the situation of China establishing store in Mexico to muscle its manufacturing into the North American free-trade zone.
“We’re not a backdoor to Chinese language unfair traded items,” Freeland stated Tuesday. “Nevertheless, the identical can’t be stated of Mexico.”
Freeland has sought to reassure nervous Canadians that the nation is in an excellent place with the incoming Trump administration, even because it threatens new tariffs, as a result of Ottawa is transferring in lock-step with the U.S. on Chinese language commerce irritants.
She stated Tuesday Canada is the “solely nation on this planet which is absolutely aligned with the U.S. as we speak relating to financial coverage vis-a-vis China.”
Canada moved earlier this 12 months to match U.S. tariffs on Chinese language-made electrical automobiles, metal and aluminum merchandise, accusing China of overproduction and unfair buying and selling practices.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau raised the problem with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum in a gathering on the sidelines of the G20 leaders’ summit in Brazil Monday. He referred to as it a “frank” dialogue.
“There are questions and concerns around some of the Chinese investments in Mexico — things that I highlighted directly with the Mexican president,” Trudeau stated at a information convention Tuesday in Rio de Janeiro. “However I additionally know that Mexico is devoted to persevering with on this terribly profitable commerce deal.”
Whereas Ottawa bristles at Mexico by the use of diplomatic blandishments, by far the boldest phrases are coming from two of Canada’s premiers.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford turned heads final week when he recommended Canada ought to forge forward on a bilateral commerce take care of the U.S. if Mexico would not clamp down on Chinese language auto imports coming into into North America.
On Nov. 12 Ford stated that Mexico is “importing low cost merchandise” from China, then “slapping a made-in-Mexico sticker on and delivery it up” into Canada and the U.S.
“What I’m proposing to the federal government: We do a bilateral trade deal with the U.S., and if Mexico wants a bilateral trade deal with Canada, God bless ‘em,” he stated. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith echoed that sentiment. Whereas on the nationwide TV speak circuit, she stated she’s “a thousand per cent” in settlement with Ford.
“We have to take a bilateral strategy and put Canada first,” Smith stated on CBC Friday.
A report by the US Commerce Consultant earlier this 12 months warned U.S. business stakeholders “expressed concerns that increasing Chinese foreign direct investment in the automotive sector in Mexico poses a significant threat to the competitiveness of the North American auto industry” and will permit China skirt tariffs.
In keeping with the U.S. business group Coalition for a Affluent America, which promotes the U.S. taking a combative commerce stance, greater than 20 Chinese language auto producers have invested billions in Mexico.
On the marketing campaign path in the course of the summer season in Milwaukee, Trump claimed Chinese language automakers are constructing giant factories in Mexico to flood vehicles into the U.S. on the sly, however an Related Press truth examine discovered no such crops presently being constructed.
China has grow to be Mexico’s fastest-growing supply of international funding, in response to a Federal Reserve Financial institution of Dallas report from final 12 months, and China’s prime EV maker BYD, a worldwide chief in electrical car gross sales, has been eyeing establishing store in Mexico.
BYD can be wanting into the potential for establishing in Canada.
This dialogue is going on forward of a compulsory renewal of the Canada-United States-Mexico Settlement that should occur by July 1, 2026.
Canada’s Ambassador to the U.S. Kirsten Hillman spoke briefly with media after attending a Canada-U. S. relations Cupboard committee assembly Tuesday, rebooted after the U.S. election to deal with rising bilateral points with the incoming Trump administration.
Hillman stated the border, commerce and tariffs are main points presently preoccupying the federal government. “We have to be ready,” she stated.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Nov. 19, 2024.
Kyle Duggan, The Canadian Press
