Chinese companies have applied to register 202 mills to export steel products to Mexico, according to data from the Ministry of Economy.  

At the same time, US companies have requested authorization for 163 mills.

Mills to export steel

Over the last 20 years, the United States and Mexico have developed an integrated market. Steel plays a fundamental role in the regional consolidation of North America. Through the USMCA, the steel sector has been key to strengthening supply chains linked to the automotive, construction, energy, and advanced manufacturing industries. All of these are strategic sectors for the development of both economies.

To import steel products into Mexico from any country, each mill of origin must be registered with the Ministry of Economy.

As of July 2025, the agency has 2,234 registered mills. Of these, 1,143 are still active and 1,091 remain suspended.

Between October 2024 and August 2025, the government received 776 applications to authorize mills. Of the total, 26% correspond to equipment from China and 21% to the United States.

In May 2025, the Ministry of Economy reported that it had canceled steel imports from half of the mills registered abroad. It also presented this measure as an attempt to curb illegal triangulation and prevent tariff evasion.

Steel supply

At the same time, officials from the Ministry of Economy have held meetings with their counterparts in the United States. The goal is to avoid new tariffs in the sectors covered by the Executive Orders. These include steel, aluminum, light vehicles, and auto parts. They also seek to protect the supply chains between the two countries.

The Ministry of Economy stated that the aim is to eliminate tariffs on non-originating products or, at least, to obtain a relative advantage over other countries.

In the United States, the steel industry called for the establishment of a common external tariff within the USMCA. The proposal came from the American Iron and Steel Institute and was submitted to the White House trade representative. The aim is to unify criteria vis-à-vis third countries. 

In addition, the United States maintains 50% tariffs on steel, aluminum, and copper under Section 232. Therefore, the issue became a key point in the negotiations with Mexico.