According to industry chamber Canacero, rising imports of steel from China involving unfair trade practices are causing serious damage to Mexico's steel sector.

Canacero in a statement said that China exported 143,219 tonne of steel products to Mexico in the first three months of 2013, up 18.4% from 120,934 tonne in the same period last year.

The chamber said that while the Mexican steel industry does not receive government subsidies, has import tariffs of practically zero and the country has a free trade policy, China is a closed economy which employs subsidies and dumping practices while paradoxically maintaining import duties greater than 15%,

The chamber added that in response to the threat of unfair trade practices, steel producers and the Mexican government have "reinforced" systems of vigilance and control to alert authorities of taxes, fines and other fees which must be paid on steel imports.

Authorities and steel companies are also collaborating to start antidumping investigations into steel imports, primarily from countries with which Mexico has no trade agreements.

The government has already begun three antidumping investigations, including one in June relating to imports of galvanized steel mesh from China.