Essential items the US imports from Mexico, China, and Canada

Crude oil, Gas and electricity, Motor vehicles and parts, Consumer goods, Plastic and rubber products, Metal and non-metallic mineral products, Industrial machinery and aircraft equipment, Toys, games, and puzzles, Media transmission systems, Display monitors, Plastic goods and other manufactured items, Mexico is top exporter of goods to US, Electronics and electrical appliances, Medical instruments, Plastic and resin products, Fruits and nuts

Donald Trump's tariffs—25% on imports from Mexico and Canada and an additional 10% on China—took effect on March 4. While the move is intended to protect US industries, economists warn that these tariffs could lead to higher consumer prices. Since the tariffs are paid by US companies importing goods, businesses may either pass the costs on to consumers or reduce imports, potentially limiting product availability. Canada, Mexico, and China are among the United States' largest trade partners, supplying a wide range of goods. Click through this gallery to explore the markets and sectors that could be most affected.

Canada

Crude oil, Gas and electricity, Motor vehicles and parts, Consumer goods, Plastic and rubber products, Metal and non-metallic mineral products, Industrial machinery and aircraft equipment, Toys, games, and puzzles, Media transmission systems, Display monitors, Plastic goods and other manufactured items, Mexico is top exporter of goods to US, Electronics and electrical appliances, Medical instruments, Plastic and resin products, Fruits and nuts

Canada's export figures to the United States numbered US$439.6 billion during 2023. The country is the largest supplier of crude oil to the US, averaging more than 3.8 million barrels per day, or 60% of US crude oil imports. Crude oil is refined to produce gasoline and heating oil. 

Crude oil

Crude oil, Gas and electricity, Motor vehicles and parts, Consumer goods, Plastic and rubber products, Metal and non-metallic mineral products, Industrial machinery and aircraft equipment, Toys, games, and puzzles, Media transmission systems, Display monitors, Plastic goods and other manufactured items, Mexico is top exporter of goods to US, Electronics and electrical appliances, Medical instruments, Plastic and resin products, Fruits and nuts

In fact, the US imported nearly 3.9 million barrels of crude oil from Canada every day in 2023. This was a slight increase compared to the previous year, according to data from Statista. 

 

Gas and electricity

Crude oil, Gas and electricity, Motor vehicles and parts, Consumer goods, Plastic and rubber products, Metal and non-metallic mineral products, Industrial machinery and aircraft equipment, Toys, games, and puzzles, Media transmission systems, Display monitors, Plastic goods and other manufactured items, Mexico is top exporter of goods to US, Electronics and electrical appliances, Medical instruments, Plastic and resin products, Fruits and nuts

Then in July 2024, US imports of crude oil from Canada reached a record 4.3 million barrels per day following the expansion of Canada's Trans Mountain pipeline. Along with exporting crude oil, Canada also sends clean electricity south of the border.

Motor vehicles and parts

Crude oil, Gas and electricity, Motor vehicles and parts, Consumer goods, Plastic and rubber products, Metal and non-metallic mineral products, Industrial machinery and aircraft equipment, Toys, games, and puzzles, Media transmission systems, Display monitors, Plastic goods and other manufactured items, Mexico is top exporter of goods to US, Electronics and electrical appliances, Medical instruments, Plastic and resin products, Fruits and nuts

In 2023, cars and auto parts imported from Canada accounted for trade worth US$58 billion, or 93% of total Canadian vehicle manufacturing output, according to Trading Economics. 

Consumer goods

Crude oil, Gas and electricity, Motor vehicles and parts, Consumer goods, Plastic and rubber products, Metal and non-metallic mineral products, Industrial machinery and aircraft equipment, Toys, games, and puzzles, Media transmission systems, Display monitors, Plastic goods and other manufactured items, Mexico is top exporter of goods to US, Electronics and electrical appliances, Medical instruments, Plastic and resin products, Fruits and nuts

Consumer goods, items that companies produce and which consumers, rather than other businesses, subsequently purchase, accounted for the third greatest volume of imports from Canada in 2023.  

Plastic and rubber products

Crude oil, Gas and electricity, Motor vehicles and parts, Consumer goods, Plastic and rubber products, Metal and non-metallic mineral products, Industrial machinery and aircraft equipment, Toys, games, and puzzles, Media transmission systems, Display monitors, Plastic goods and other manufactured items, Mexico is top exporter of goods to US, Electronics and electrical appliances, Medical instruments, Plastic and resin products, Fruits and nuts

The US Census Bureau also lists chemical, plastic, and rubber products among the top items imported from Canada, things such as rubber carpet cushion, sound insulation, and footwear. 

Metal and non-metallic mineral products

Crude oil, Gas and electricity, Motor vehicles and parts, Consumer goods, Plastic and rubber products, Metal and non-metallic mineral products, Industrial machinery and aircraft equipment, Toys, games, and puzzles, Media transmission systems, Display monitors, Plastic goods and other manufactured items, Mexico is top exporter of goods to US, Electronics and electrical appliances, Medical instruments, Plastic and resin products, Fruits and nuts

Metal and non-metallic mineral products, for example, iron ore, hematite, bauxite, sand, gravel, limestone, clay, and marble as well as salt, mica, and potash, are all exported in vast quantities to the US. Pictured is the Fermont iron ore site at the ArcelorMittal mining complex in Quebec. 

Industrial machinery and aircraft equipment

Crude oil, Gas and electricity, Motor vehicles and parts, Consumer goods, Plastic and rubber products, Metal and non-metallic mineral products, Industrial machinery and aircraft equipment, Toys, games, and puzzles, Media transmission systems, Display monitors, Plastic goods and other manufactured items, Mexico is top exporter of goods to US, Electronics and electrical appliances, Medical instruments, Plastic and resin products, Fruits and nuts

The US also imports a variety of industrial machinery, electronic components, and aircraft and other transportation equipment and parts from Canada, including airliner passenger seats. 

China

Crude oil, Gas and electricity, Motor vehicles and parts, Consumer goods, Plastic and rubber products, Metal and non-metallic mineral products, Industrial machinery and aircraft equipment, Toys, games, and puzzles, Media transmission systems, Display monitors, Plastic goods and other manufactured items, Mexico is top exporter of goods to US, Electronics and electrical appliances, Medical instruments, Plastic and resin products, Fruits and nuts

United States imports from China were $448.02 billion in 2023. More than a quarter of US imports from China fall under the electronic equipment, machinery, and products category. The single most popular item imported into the United States from China is the smartphone. 

Toys, games, and puzzles

Crude oil, Gas and electricity, Motor vehicles and parts, Consumer goods, Plastic and rubber products, Metal and non-metallic mineral products, Industrial machinery and aircraft equipment, Toys, games, and puzzles, Media transmission systems, Display monitors, Plastic goods and other manufactured items, Mexico is top exporter of goods to US, Electronics and electrical appliances, Medical instruments, Plastic and resin products, Fruits and nuts

The third largest Chinese export to the US are kids' toys, games, puzzles, and sports requisites. After Mattel shut down its last US factory in 2001, popular items like Barbie, Hot Wheels, and other Mattel toys ended up being made in China and Indonesia.

Media transmission systems

Crude oil, Gas and electricity, Motor vehicles and parts, Consumer goods, Plastic and rubber products, Metal and non-metallic mineral products, Industrial machinery and aircraft equipment, Toys, games, and puzzles, Media transmission systems, Display monitors, Plastic goods and other manufactured items, Mexico is top exporter of goods to US, Electronics and electrical appliances, Medical instruments, Plastic and resin products, Fruits and nuts

The US continues to rely on China for media transmission systems, things like telecommunications equipment and surveillance devices. However, the market is restricted because of the national security risk some of these appliances are said to pose. 

Display monitors

Crude oil, Gas and electricity, Motor vehicles and parts, Consumer goods, Plastic and rubber products, Metal and non-metallic mineral products, Industrial machinery and aircraft equipment, Toys, games, and puzzles, Media transmission systems, Display monitors, Plastic goods and other manufactured items, Mexico is top exporter of goods to US, Electronics and electrical appliances, Medical instruments, Plastic and resin products, Fruits and nuts

The United States relies on a number of Asian countries, including China, for certain computer and PC parts and components such as display monitors. Lenovo is an example of a tech company offering display monitors imported from China.  

Plastic goods and other manufactured items

Crude oil, Gas and electricity, Motor vehicles and parts, Consumer goods, Plastic and rubber products, Metal and non-metallic mineral products, Industrial machinery and aircraft equipment, Toys, games, and puzzles, Media transmission systems, Display monitors, Plastic goods and other manufactured items, Mexico is top exporter of goods to US, Electronics and electrical appliances, Medical instruments, Plastic and resin products, Fruits and nuts

Plastic goods, things like keycaps, computer components, and phone parts, plus furniture, bedding, lamps, paint, and other miscellaneous manufactured items, are some of the other top products America imports from China. 

Mexico is top exporter of goods to US

Crude oil, Gas and electricity, Motor vehicles and parts, Consumer goods, Plastic and rubber products, Metal and non-metallic mineral products, Industrial machinery and aircraft equipment, Toys, games, and puzzles, Media transmission systems, Display monitors, Plastic goods and other manufactured items, Mexico is top exporter of goods to US, Electronics and electrical appliances, Medical instruments, Plastic and resin products, Fruits and nuts

Actually, Mexico surpassed China to become the top exporter of goods to the US in 2023 even though the country's economic growth is slowing, thus stalling the promise of so-called nearshoring, where an organization recruits employees from a neighboring country to complete services. 

Electronics and electrical appliances

Crude oil, Gas and electricity, Motor vehicles and parts, Consumer goods, Plastic and rubber products, Metal and non-metallic mineral products, Industrial machinery and aircraft equipment, Toys, games, and puzzles, Media transmission systems, Display monitors, Plastic goods and other manufactured items, Mexico is top exporter of goods to US, Electronics and electrical appliances, Medical instruments, Plastic and resin products, Fruits and nuts

Mexico is also a big supplier of electronics and electrical appliances. Here, employees work on electrical harnesses for Bombardier jets at the company's manufacturing facility in Queretaro, Mexico.  

Medical instruments

Crude oil, Gas and electricity, Motor vehicles and parts, Consumer goods, Plastic and rubber products, Metal and non-metallic mineral products, Industrial machinery and aircraft equipment, Toys, games, and puzzles, Media transmission systems, Display monitors, Plastic goods and other manufactured items, Mexico is top exporter of goods to US, Electronics and electrical appliances, Medical instruments, Plastic and resin products, Fruits and nuts

Mexico is Latin America's leading exporter of medical devices, accounting for over 70% of instruments shipped abroad. The country is a major supplier to the US. 

Plastic and resin products

Crude oil, Gas and electricity, Motor vehicles and parts, Consumer goods, Plastic and rubber products, Metal and non-metallic mineral products, Industrial machinery and aircraft equipment, Toys, games, and puzzles, Media transmission systems, Display monitors, Plastic goods and other manufactured items, Mexico is top exporter of goods to US, Electronics and electrical appliances, Medical instruments, Plastic and resin products, Fruits and nuts

Mexico rates above Canada and China as the leading exporter of plastic items to the United States, with a total revenue of nearly US$21 billion. 

Fruits and nuts

Crude oil, Gas and electricity, Motor vehicles and parts, Consumer goods, Plastic and rubber products, Metal and non-metallic mineral products, Industrial machinery and aircraft equipment, Toys, games, and puzzles, Media transmission systems, Display monitors, Plastic goods and other manufactured items, Mexico is top exporter of goods to US, Electronics and electrical appliances, Medical instruments, Plastic and resin products, Fruits and nuts

Strawberries, lemons, limes, and a variety of other fruits and nuts are also imported by Mexico to the US, ahead of Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Ecuador.  

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