Mexico began 2016 as the leading exporter of goods to the United States and also became the top buyer of U.S. products. Canada and China, the other major trading partners of the U.S., saw declines in their trade, according to figures from the U.S. Census Bureau .
According to an analysis by T21 Business Intelligence , the value of bilateral trade between Mexico and the United States reached $74.105 billion during the first month of this year, an increase of 6.5% compared to January 2025.
In contrast, Canada and China reported significant declines during the period. Canada showed a 19.5% drop compared to 2025, totaling $52.84 billion in January 2026. China registered a 43% year-on-year contraction, with total trade of $29.387 billion in the first month of 2026.
Regarding exports to the United States, Mexico maintained its leadership, sending products to the United States worth $42,517.7 million in January 2026, 2% more than in the same month of 2025.
Conversely, Canadian exports to the United States totaled $28.33 billion, a 26.1% year-over-year decrease. China’s merchandise shipments to the United States totaled $21.05 billion in the first month of 2026, a 49.4% decline compared to January 2025.
In terms of imports, Mexico purchased US goods worth $31.5872 billion in January 2026, a 13.1% year-over-year increase. Canada’s imports totaled $24.5103 billion, a 10.3% decrease compared to the same month last year. During the same period, China imported a total of $8.3291 billion, 15.9% less than in January 2025.
In January 2026, Donald Trump completed one year of his second term as President of the United States, an administration characterized by protectionist economic policies and the imposition of tariffs on various countries around the world. Despite this, Mexico has managed to circumvent these measures and has positioned itself as a key player in trade with the United States ; meanwhile, Canada and China have experienced setbacks in their trade with the world’s largest economy.
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