Chinese companies invests more in Mexico’s industry

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from China reached USD 54 million in the first quarter of 2025, according to data from the Ministry of Economy. Although its volume is still far from the main trading partners, the Asian country maintains a sustained growth trend, especially in strategic sectors such as manufacturing, auto parts and technology.

Manufacturing and auto parts, axes of Chinese investment

According to official figures, more than 2,445 foreign companies participate in the Mexican automotive sector, where China has gradually increased its presence. Although the United States, Germany and Japan concentrate most of the flows, China has consolidated investments in components, electronics and light assembly, taking advantage of the country’s industrial strength. In the period 2006–2024, its participation has grown in parallel with the global strategy of productive diversification promoted by its companies.The installation of factories, logistics centers and auto parts plants has occurred with greater intensity in regions with developed infrastructure, qualified labor and proximity to North American markets. This evolution allows Chinese companies to shorten their supply chains and reduce logistics costs, aligning with the global nearshoring trend.

Nuevo León, Guanajuato and Edomex, priority destinations

The states of Nuevo León, Guanajuato, Estado de México and San Luis Potosí concentrate a large part of the recent Chinese investments, positioning themselves as strategic nodes for their regional operations. These territories offer connectivity, specialized industrial parks and investment attraction policies, which favors the arrival of new Asian capital.The 2025 outlook confirms that Mexico has become a relevant platform for China’s industrial strategy in the Americas. If macroeconomic stability and active investment promotion are maintained, China’s capital flow could accelerate in the coming years, further consolidating its presence on the national economic map.

According to available data, the cumulative investment of China and Hong Kong in Mexico amounts to more than 11,910 million dollars between 2006 and the first quarter of 2025, which demonstrates a sustained interest in strengthening their economic participation in the country over the last 19 years. This figure includes direct flows in both manufacturing and other emerging industries, and represents a solid basis for projecting further expansion in strategic sectors in the short to medium term. In addition to manufacturing, there has been progressive growth in activities related to e-commerce, warehousing and logistics, areas in which Chinese companies are consolidating infrastructure to meet national and regional demand. This diversification allows Asian investors not only to insert themselves into existing value chains, but also to establish their own distribution and operation platforms from Mexican territory, capitalizing on the country’s geographical location and trade agreements.