Mexico and China Inch Closer

Yesterday, a plane arrived with medical supplies from China loaded with 184 boxes with approximately 800,000 KN95 masks and a million gloves, in addition to fans, monitors and other specialized equipment. The trade mission was organized by Marcelo Ebrard, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the aim of transporting medical supplies from Shanghai to Mexico to deal with COVID-19. According to Deputy Minister of Prevention and Health Promotion, Hugo López-Gatell, supplies will be enough to cover 100 percent of the country's needs. In fact, he clarified that this would not be the only plane, because an air bridge was established between Mexico and China precisely because of the continuous arrival and departure of aircraft to carry more relevant equipment.

3M is one of the firms that has the capacity to produce and export KN95 masks during these times of crisis. However, at the beginning of April, President Donald Trump used the Defense Production Act to compel 3M to sell its face masks first and foremost to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. This triggered friction between 3M and Trump’s administration, when it was suggested that 3M put the US behind other countries in the fight against COVID- 19.

This situation has pushed Mexico and other countries to search for other commercial partners to procure the necessary medical supplies in the battle against COVID- 19, such as China and South Korea. However, this is not the first time that this type of commercial interaction has taken place between Mexico and China. According to press releases from the Ministry of Foreign Relations, relations between China and Mexico are multi-layered, given that the National Conference of Governors and the Association of Chinese Governors have held two meetings over the last five years. Similarly, Chinese companies have visited Oaxaca, Nuevo Leon and other states to make substantial investments in our country.  

Despite the lack of a free trade agreement between China and Mexico, both countries have developed diplomatic relations since 1972 and, since 2003, both countries agreed on a strategic association. Therefore, China is Mexico's second-largest trade partner in the world, while Mexico is China's second-largest trading partner in Latin America, according to figures provided by the Chinese Customs Administration. Moreover, Alibaba recently donated 2 million masks and 400,000 test kits to Latin America, as another example of how China continues to strengthen its relations with Mexico and the region. The company donated equipment to 24 Latin American countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic and Peru, which received 2 million masks, 400 K research kits and 104 ventilators.