American markets dominate the Mexican economy and will continue to do so for many decades, but the combination of China’s growing presence in Mexico and the election of a leftist firebrand to the Mexican presidency could further strain U.S. relationships with both of these countries.

The avowed purpose of this latest trip of the Mexican president, which occurred even as officials from the United States and Canada were in Mexico City conducting the second round of NAFTA negotiations, was to build further economic links with BRICS nations, in particular China. Arguably, however, the real if unstated purpose of Pena Nieto’s visit to China while NAFTA negotiations were in progress in his own country was to show Mexico’s ability to diversify its economic relations beyond the United States.