VOA新闻杂志2024--Mexico Becomes Leading Source of Goods Imported to US

Mexico Becomes Leading Source of Goods Imported to US

For the first time in more than twenty years, Mexico took China's place as the leading source of goods imported by the United States.

This change, which took place over the last year, brings attention to the growing tensions between the U.S. and China. It also highlights American efforts to import from countries that are friendlier and closer to home.

Figures released recently by the U.S. Commerce Department show that the value of goods imported by the U.S. from Mexico rose nearly 5 percent from 2022 to 2023, to more than $475 billion. At the same time, the value of Chinese imports dropped 20 percent to $427 billion.

The last time that Mexican goods imported by the United States were greater than the value of China's imports was in 2002.

Economic relations between the United States and China have declined in recent years.

The Trump¹ administration began putting tariffs³ on Chinese imports in 2018. The administration argued that China's trade policies broke international trade rules. President Joe Biden kept those taxes on imports after taking office in 2021, making clear that opposition⁴ toward China would be a rare area of common ground for Democrats⁵ and Republicans.

Instead of sending production to China, which U.S. corporations had long done, the Biden administration has urged companies to seek suppliers in allied⁶ countries, in a process called "friend-shoring," or to return manufacturing to the United States in a process called "reshoring." Supply-chain problems related to the COVID-19 pandemic also led U.S. companies to seek supplies closer to the United States in a process called "near-shoring."

Mexico has been among those helped by the growing move away from Chinese factories. But the picture is more complex than it might seem.

Some Chinese manufacturers have established factories in Mexico to get the benefits of the 3-year-old U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement. The agreement permits duty-free trade in North America for many products.

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said last week that the trade deal gives Mexico new power. He said it would make it hard for the U.S. to close the two countries' border to limit immigration, as suggested in negotiations⁸ on a border bill in the U.S. Senate.

"The negotiation⁷ is proposing closing the border," he said. "Do you think Americans, or Mexicans, but especially the Americans, would approve that? The businesses wouldn't take it, maybe one day, but not a week."

Some industries — especially car manufacturers — have set up plants on both sides of the border. These plants depend on each other for a steady supply of parts.

Derek Scissors, a China specialist at the American Enterprise Institute, noted⁹ that the biggest drops in Chinese imports were in computers and electronics and chemicals and pharmaceuticals¹⁰ — all politically difficult areas.

"I don't see the U.S. being comfortable with a rebound¹¹ in those areas in 2024 and 2025," Scissors said, predicting that the China-Mexico reversal on imports to the United States likely "is not a one-year blip.''

Scissors suggested that the drop in U.S. use of Chinese goods partly suggests concerns about China's economic policies under President Xi Jinping. Xi's COVID-19 lockdowns brought large parts of the Chinese economy to a halt in 2022. And his officials have raided foreign companies in possible counterespionage investigations¹².

"I think it's corporate¹³ America belatedly deciding Xi Jinping is unreliable," Scissors added.

Words in This Story

highlight – v. to direct attention to (someone or something)

tariff² – n. a tax on goods coming into or leaving a country

benefit – n. a good or helpful result or effect

rebound – n. an increase after a decline

blip – n. something that is unimportant or that does not last a long time

belatedly – adv. happening or coming very late

unreliable – adj. not believable or trustworthy

1 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

2 tariff   

n.关税，税率；(旅馆、饭店等)价目表，收费表

参考例句：

• There is a very high tariff on jewelry.宝石类的关税率很高。
• The government is going to lower the tariff on importing cars.政府打算降低进口汽车的关税。

3 tariffs   

关税制度； 关税( tariff的名词复数 )； 关税表； （旅馆或饭店等的）收费表； 量刑标准

参考例句：

• British industry was sheltered from foreign competition by protective tariffs. 保护性关税使英国工业免受国际竞争影响。
• The new tariffs have put a stranglehold on trade. 新的关税制对开展贸易极为不利。

4 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

5 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

7 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

8 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

10 pharmaceuticals   

n.医药品；药物( pharmaceutical的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• the development of new pharmaceuticals 新药的开发
• The companies are pouring trillions of yen into biotechnology research,especially for pharmaceuticals and new seeds. 这些公司将大量资金投入生物工艺学研究，尤其是药品和新种子方面。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 rebound   

v.弹回；n.弹回，跳回

参考例句：

• The vibrations accompanying the rebound are the earth quake.伴随这种回弹的振动就是地震。
• Our evil example will rebound upon ourselves.我们的坏榜样会回到我们自己头上的。

12 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

13 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。