"South of the Border, Down China Way," the new words to an old song? It is a sad song, really. Success coming at the expense of others--must it always be that way? Of course, there is an answer to the problem, radical though it will sound to almost all--Mexico should become part of the United States. Ouch! The curses from all sides hurt the ears even in cyber space. But, it will happen someday; it is inevitable in the march of time and progress. I'm serious.
MEXICO CITY (AP) -- It's a trade war being fought in the streets: Mexico's army of 1.6 million street vendors is resisting police attempts to confiscate imports from China, and the government has responded with everything from buy-Mexican ads to a special anti-import police squad.
Long known for the work of its artisans, Mexico now imports such handicrafts as painted figurines of Mexican saints and leather sandals from China. This year, China also displaced Mexico as the second-biggest exporter to the U.S. market, leaving Mexicans feeling cheated and worried the country is being left behind.
"It's not just fear, it's panic," said Mexico City historian Lorenzo Meyer. "We were supposed to be the ones moving ahead. We had free-market reforms, and now we're losing out to a communist-run country. In 500 years, this country has never been able to get ahead economically."
Newspapers regularly run stories on the threat. "The Chinese want Mexico's oil," "Chinese products proliferate in handicraft markets," and "Border factories fight Chinese threat" are just a few recent examples.
The damage is everywhere. China is producing statuettes of Mexico's patron saint, the Virgin of Guadalupe. And plastic Chinese flip-flops are the preferred footwear in many parts of rural Mexico, replacing Mexican leather sandals that had been worn here for centuries.
In the north-central state of Guanajuato, dozens of shoemaking businesses have closed recently, including Botas Fox, the family business of President Vicente Fox. Shoemakers complain they are being driven out of business by cheap Chinese imports.
"We just can't compete with the labor costs," said Sandra Santamaria, project director for Mexico's Apparel Industry Chamber. "Labor in China costs 48 cents per hour, and in Mexico it's $1.20." ...
Some Mexicans blame themselves. "We've never been able to defend ourselves against the Americans, or the Chinese," said one anti-import sign posted outside a Mexican clothing store. "But, then again, we haven't seen any Chinese. All we see are disloyal Mexicans who don't want to pay for Mexican goods." ...
The Chinese have argued Mexico should improve its own products, rather than complaining about other countries.
"China was inundated with foreign products, but we did not blame those countries. Instead, we learned how to produce like them," said Xingmin Yin, the deputy director of Fudan University's China Center for Economic Studies in Shanghai.
