Former Bank of Mexico governor Agustín Carstens states North America must integrate to compete with China amidst global fragmentation, inflation, and less resilient supply chains.

Carstens highlighted that geopolitical fragmentation and trade tensions have made global production less flexible, leading to higher inflation and slower growth. He urges U.S., Mexico, and Canada to pursue 'smart integration' including investment in infrastructure and workforce skills to enhance regional competitiveness and address supply chain vulnerabilities. This impacts carriers, shippers, and 3PLs by signaling continued emphasis on nearshoring and the need for robust cross-border infrastructure and skilled labor in the USMCA region.