For May, Mexico took first place for US exports, the latest figures show. Was the third … more
Mexico took first place for US exports for three of the first five months of 2025, a first, as the southern neighbor fell closer to being the leading American trading partner for imports, exports and total trade on an annual basis.
Not since 2006, he has first classified a country for exports, imports and total trade on an annual basis.
By October 2023, Mexico had never been first classified for US exports in a month. He then took first place for two months in 2024. Now, he has ranked only the first three times in the first five months of 2025, according to my review of the latest data from the US Inventory Office.
As early as 1992, Canada had first classified every other month. This is as far as the US inventory of the US inventory of goods are going, so my guess would be that the Canadian series has expanded much more.
If Mexico had to first be classified for US exports for all 2025 and repeated as the top source of US imports, it would be the only country except Canada to have ever done so. Canada did it from 1992 to 2006. Today, Mexico first ranks for imports and total trade.
This ended in 2007, when China replaced Canada as the top importer in the United States, an increase was possible to accept it in the World Trade Organization. And then in 2023, Mexico replaced China as the number 1 in the United States, its rise was made by Trump’s abrupt invoices in China during his first term.
For Mexico, the overall rise as an American commercial partner is characterized by two important events.
- Expanding the incorporation of the car supply chain between Canada and the United States to include Mexico when the North American Free Trade Agreement became a law in 1992.
- President Trump’s trade war with China, which began in 2018, which, according to the data from the Census Office, shifts imports to Vietnam, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and to a lesser extent Mexico. (It is suspected that China is waving invoices by transporting through them and other countries.)
With the passage of NAFTA, the US trade with Mexico accelerated. By 1999, Mexico had surpassed Japan to be classified as a Nation 2 associate, behind Canada, a place that would hold until 2006.
Five years before that, China had gained entry into the World Trade Organization. In 2006, he replaced Mexico to rank second place among all the US commercial partners with the power of his imports to the United States. (Became second for imports within two years of the entry into the WTO in 2003.)
Then, in 2018, invoices for China’s imports came to the United States. It took five years, but in 2023, Mexico took first place for imports in the United States, having surpassed both Canada and China. He had overcome Canada, who had seen a reduced need for his oil, as the United States increased oil production through Fracking in 2015.
For US exports, the stay of Canada’s power was longer, with Mexico the only country ever surpassed it-and only in 2023 and two months in 2024 before that year.
This year, Mexico took first place in January, April and May, though one of the weakest margins above Canada – 0.42%, 0.35%and 0.90%respectively.
However, on an annual basis, however, Canada is still ranked first for US exports, although this is even more impossible for: 0.13%.
US exports to Mexico increased by 1.02% per year. However, US exports to Canada decline by 3.73%, mainly due to the sharp decline in passenger vehicles, top exports and car accessories, second rankings.
US exports to the world increased by 4.94%, largely from gold transport to Switzerland, generally a sign of an investor for the US economy.
Another change made by Trump’s trade war with China was the lifting of the Laredo port in the first place among all airports, sea ports and borders. For decades, the port of Los Angeles had first classified.
While the port of Los Angeles is dominated by trade with China, the port Laredo is dominated by trade with Mexico. This year, it accounts for 39.48% of the US-Mexico.
The Ysleta-Zaragoza Bridge outside El Paso ranks second for US-Mexico trade, with 11.86%of the total, followed by the crossing of Otay Mesa border in California, with 6.92%and two Border crossings of Texas, Pharr International Bridge (5,15%) Pass (4.98%).
Nogales, Ariz., And Santa Teresa, NM Border cross each one to represent slightly more than 4% each.
While car trade is what dominates the US with Mexico, it is not the primary factor this year.
Four US exports to Mexico have increased over $ 1 billion this year:
- Computer Accessories, increased $ 3.01 billion, equal to 69.09%
- Computers, increased $ 1.87 billion, equal to 99.61%
- Natural gas, increase of $ 1.55 billion, 57.16%
- Political aircraft and spare parts, increased $ 1.14 billion, 45.95%
Computer and computer exports are part of a back -up chain and focused around the El Paso and its neighbor beyond the border, Ciudad Juarez. On the Mexican border side, Foxconn, Flex, Jabil and Dell have all businesses and benefit from an explosion that needs servers and related equipment used to supply the rapidly growing needs of the artificial intelligence industry.
Natural gas goes largely through pipelines near Brownsville, Pharr and Laredo, Texas, who benefit from fracking in the state. Aircraft exports go largely through the Laredo port and the Texas Del Rio.
Where from here? It remains to be seen whether Mexico can proceed in front of Canada and become only the second country to lead the United States for exports, imports and total trade in one year. Sure, the momentum seems to be on Mexico’s side.
