China-Mexico ties face unprecedented opportunity: Xi

MEXICO CITY - China and Mexico are facing an unprecedented opportunity for further development of their relations, visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping said in Mexico Wednesday.

In a speech at the Mexican Senate, Xi also called for concerted efforts to beef up the comprehensive cooperative partnership between China and Latin America.

As China and Mexico "are both moving onto a fast-track of economic and social development and embracing a promising future," there is "an unprecedented opportunity for our two countries to further advance bilateral relations," he noted.

Against this propitious backdrop, Xi added, he and President Enrique Pena Nieto have just decided to elevate the bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership, "to the benefit of continued growth of China-Mexico relations at a higher level, in a broader scope and on a bigger platform, and usher our relations into a new stage of development."

The Chinese president raised a four-point proposal aimed at making good use of the opportunities and steering the two countries' partnership forward.

Firstly, China and Mexico should respect and trust each other, treat each other as equals and strengthen strategic coordination, he said.

The two countries, he added, should continue to understand and support each other on issues concerning their core interests, beef up exchanges and dialogue, enhance strategic mutual trust and safeguard their common interests.

Secondly, they should pursue win-win cooperation and promote common development, Xi said.

The two countries should each see the other's development as an opportunity for its own, and boost through cooperation their respective development and then their common development, he added.

He suggested that the two sides strengthen communication on development strategies and upgrade bilateral cooperation through expanding two-way investment, optimizing their trade structure and enhancing industrial connectivity.

Thirdly, the two countries should communicate and coordinate with each other and safeguard their common interests, Xi said.

He urge the two sides to "take an active part in global economic governance and work together for world economic recovery and growth and equilibrium of international forces."

"We should work together to promote democracy in international relations, jointly meet global challenges such as the international financial crisis, climate change and sustainable development, and safeguard the common interests of our two countries and developing countries in general," he added.

Fourthly, China and Mexico should learn from each other through exchanges and carry forward their friendship, the Chinese president said,  calling for joint efforts to expand exchanges in such areas as culture, education, sports, media and tourism, and boost interaction between the two countries' young generations.

Noting that Mexico is an important player in Latin America, Xi said the deepening of China-Mexico ties will inject great impetus into the development of China's relations with the entire region.

Latin America "is embracing another golden period of development," he said. "We believe that a more prosperous Latin America and the Caribbean will benefit the world in general, China as well."

Blessed with "an important window of opportunity," China and Latin America should join hands to achieve "fresh and greater progress" in their partnership of comprehensive cooperation, he said.

On the political front, China and Latin America should treat each other as sincere friends and continue to understand and support each other on issues involving the core interests and major concerns of either side, Xi said.

In the economic arena, he added, the two sides should further explore their cooperation potential, create new cooperation patterns, and expand converging interests, so as to foster an enduring and stable partnership of mutually beneficial economic cooperation and trade.

They should also enhance cultural exchanges and build "an exemplary relationship of different civilizations living in harmony and reinforcing each other," Xi said.

The Chinese president also expressed the hope that the two sides will make concerted efforts to put in place a forum of China-Latin America cooperation at an early date.

"We are firmly convinced that a stronger partnership of comprehensive cooperation between China and Latin America will boost the development of both sides and will serve the peace, stability and prosperity of the region and the world," he said.

In addition, Xi said China has set the target for its future development and will continue to hold high in the course of development the banner of peace, development, cooperation and win-win outcome.

"We will continue the reform and opening-up program, promote common development and bring more opportunities to the world," said the Chinese president.

For his part, Ricardo Anaya Cortes, chairman of the Permanent Committee of Mexico's Congress of the Union, said both China and Mexico are major developing countries striving for the same goal of promoting national development and improving the well-being of the people.

The two countries, he said, are partners for mutually beneficial cooperation and common development, and should collaborate more closely for the sake of each other's development and world peace.

Mexico is the last leg of Xi's ongoing three-nation Latin America tour, which has already taken him to Trinidad and Tobago and Costa Rica.

From Mexico, Xi will fly to the US state of California to hold a summit meeting with US President Barack Obama.