Mexico not looking for conflict over tariff measures, president says

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Thursday said her government was not looking for a conflict with countries on which it plans to increase tariffs, including China.

"We don't want a conflict," Sheinbaum told a morning conference, adding the measures were intended to boost Mexico's economy and that her government was in talks with ambassadors from countries impacted by the proposed measures.

Her government on Wednesday announced it was raising tariffs on Chinese autos to a maximum level of 50% as part of a broad overhaul of import levies across hundreds of goods, impacting some $52 billion in imports.

The measures against countries with which Mexico does not hold trade deals sparked comments that Mexico had announced these measures in order to appease its top trade partner, the United States.

"That is not the objective," Sheinbaum said when asked about this during the conference, saying the measures were intended to strengthen local production capacity as part of an industrial strategy proposed before U.S. President Donald Trump was elected last year.

"What we want to is to be able to discuss things without the need to generate any conflict," she added.

Following the measures, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said he hoped the two nations could work together and that China opposed restrictions imposed under "various pretexts" and would safeguard its interests.

(Reporting by Sarah Morland and Ana Isabel Martinez; Editing by Kylie Madry)