The foreign ministers of China and Mexico opened on Thursday the
second meeting of the China-Mexico Permanent Bi-national
Commission, a two day meeting analyzing the two nations' progress
in diplomacy and trade over the last five years.
Mexico's Foreign Minister Luis Ernesto Derbez said that the
meeting would examine "the great progress made in the last five
years" and how to press forward in new challenges and
opportunities.
Derbez welcomed the Chinese delegation to the event, which runs
from Thursday to Friday in Mexico's Foreign Ministry, then spoke of
the importance of collaboration between the two nations, and called
for continued fruitful dialog.
Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said that the two nations
had become "great trading partners" and added that the Chinese
government had always given relations with Mexico great
priority.
After the opening ceremony, Mexican and Chinese delegates split
into working groups covering agriculture, energy, transport, social
development and tourism.
The Chinese delegation including representatives from 15
ministries and government agencies, split into four commissions:
politics; economics and trade; technology; and education.
This week's meeting will focus on pushing forward the agreements
signed by Mexican President Vicente Fox and Chinese President Hu
Jintao, in 2005, and will also review progress since the 2004
Commission meeting.
The two countries agreed to set up a Bilateral Strategic
Partnership in 2003. The commission held its first meeting in
Beijing in 2004.
On Wednesday, Fox met visiting Foreign Minister Li in Mexico
city.
(Xinhua News Agency May 19, 2006)
