For the first time in more than two decades Mexico overtook China as the largest importer of goods to the U.S. Mexican goods imported to the U.S. totaled $475 billion in 2023 about $20 billion higher than the previous year. Feuling that trend are simmering trade tensions between Beijing and Washington, an effort to bring U.S. imports closer to home and a burgeoning Mexican manufacturing base. And on top of that, to avoid tariffs, Chinese companies are using Mexico as a backdoor to the U.S.