Beyond Geography: A Constructivist Analysis of Mexico’s Engagement with the Asia-Pacific

Abstract

This essay undertakes a comprehensive analysis of Mexico’s evolving foreign policy toward the Asia-Pacific region, situating its examination within the broader context of global economic reconfiguration and Mexico’s strategic ambition to diversify beyond its traditional North American orientation. From a constructivist perspective, it argues that Mexico’s foreign policy identity has been historically shaped by its geographic proximity and institutional ties to the United States and Canada, a dynamic that has systematically marginalized Asia-Pacific within its diplomatic agenda. Despite this marginalization, the Asia-Pacific’s accelerated economic growth, expanding middle class, and technological leadership present considerable opportunities for Mexico’s economic diplomacy in areas such as trade, investment, and scientific collaboration. The paper evaluates institutional mechanisms, including the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Pacific Alliance, as potential platforms for deeper engagement, while acknowledging persistent structural and ideational challenges—such as geographic distance, cultural asymmetries, and the absence of robust epistemic communities. By employing a constructivist framework, this research addresses a notable gap in the literature, which has traditionally prioritized Mexico’s relations with North and Latin America, leaving its Asia-Pacific engagement underexplored and often treated as peripheral. The paper ultimately calls for a strategic reconfiguration of Mexico’s foreign policy narrative, positioning Asia-Pacific not merely as a commercial market but as a region of enduring strategic significance. This requires sustained normative engagement, diplomatic innovation, and strengthened institutional capacity. Such a reorientation would enhance Mexico’s global agency, reduce its structural dependence on the North American market, and position the country to more effectively participate in the evolving economic and geopolitical dynamics of the twenty-first century.