China moves a Great Wall that might bring jobs to Mexico

Chinese vehicle maker Great Wall Motor is considering building an automotive plant in two Mexican states hit by US President Donald Trump's drive to make US companies invest at home, sources said. Great Wall Motor, which describes itself as China's largest sports utility vehicle and truck manufacturer, is interested in Nuevo Leon in northern Mexico or the central state of San Luis Potosi, three people familiar with the matter said.

Under pressure from Trump to keep jobs in the US, Ford Motor cancelled a $1.6bn plant in San Luis Potosi in January, while heating and air-conditioning firm Carrier scaled back plans in December 2016 to move production to Nuevo Leon.

Great Wall Motor officials met with Mexico's top rail firms Ferrocarril Mexicano, part of Grupo Mexico, and Kansas City Southern de Mexico to evaluate the states' connectivity, according to a source and two documents seen by Reuters.

One of the sources said the company was in direct talks with Nuevo Leon's government.