As the People's Republic of China celebrates its 70th anniversary, I can only express my greatest hopes for a stronger and deeper relationship between Mexico and China. In view of the close ties that Mexico and China have forged over the past decades, Mexico is looking forward to deepening the Sino-Mexican friendship still further and strengthening the collaboration that characterizes our contacts in multiple fields.

After 70 years, the People's Republic of China has become a key player in world affairs while Mexico continues to be a committed international actor. Mexico and China have always worked together to uphold multilateralism as the guiding principle of international relations and cooperation.

Over the last 47 years of diplomatic relations between our countries, every Mexican president has visited China during their terms, and we have also welcomed every Chinese top leader to our country. Moreover, since the adoption of the bilateral Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2013, there has been a significant deepening of our political dialogue and an increase in ministerial visits and high-level encounters between legislative members, political parties, academia and governors.

The recent visit of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mexico Marcelo Ebrard to Beijing in July this year was significant due to the review and commitments made to strengthen our strategic partnership and political dialogue mechanisms. Additional visits by Mexico's ministers for Trade, Agriculture, and Tourism this year attest to the increasing relevance of our bilateral ties.

Not only do our top leaders travel more often across the Pacific Ocean for meetings and exchanges. Today, Mexico is the top destination of Chinese tourists in Latin America; while China is among the top 10 countries for Mexican students abroad, and the sixth source of foreign students at Mexican academic institutions.

As a result of the impressive economic growth of China and the rapid development and sophistication of the manufacturing sector in Mexico, China is now our second-largest trading partner, and our third-largest investor from Asia. Even more, Chinese exports to Mexico have an important role as part of the global value chains that increase the competitiveness of Mexican manufactured goods.

When it comes to bilateral cooperation, Mexico and China lend full support to the fundamental principles of free trade, nondiscrimination and a rules-based international order as true means for achieving sustainable and inclusive economic development. Our positions in the World Trade Organization and G20 are testament of Mexico and China's coordination to secure global economic growth and financial stability.

At the G20 Summit in Osaka in June, Mexico and China demonstrated their willingness to support a paradigm shift on globalization. Since the adoption of the UN 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development, Mexico and China, among other G20 members, have recognized the need of fostering more inclusive, sustainable and balanced economic growth by promoting policies intended for a better wealth distribution across our societies. This is one of the major goals of President Andres Manuel Lipez Obrador's proposed transformation of national life in Mexico. And we recognize that China has set a good example to the developing world by lifting millions of people out of poverty in the last 40 years through economic reforms and opening-up.

Mexico and China have also acknowledged that corruption is a drag on inclusive and sustainable growth, and both governments have made the anti-corruption fight a top priority by making sure that public spending is efficient, responsible and effective.

As two important developing countries, Mexico and China fully support the most important multilateral initiatives of global governance such as the Sustainable Development Agenda, the Paris Agreement on climate change and the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, among many others.

In global as well as regional affairs, Mexico and China have multiple shared interests that are reflected in resolutions or declarations adopted by the United Nations, APEC, the China-CELAC Forum and other regional forums.

Mexico and China are also two responsible cooperative partners that are assuming increasing responsibilities in global governance. Both countries cooperate side by side on issues that affect international security such as the reform of the UN Security Council, nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation.

Likewise, Mexico and China recognize their responsibility for tackling regional challenges affecting development and security. In the case of Mexico, working together with regional and international actors, a comprehensive development plan has been put forward to address the critical conditions of our neighbors in Central America. China, for its part, has an impeccable record of providing assistance for development as reflected in the long reach of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Nowhere is cooperation in multilateral affairs more visible than the support we mutually provide to each other's positions and candidacies in international organizations.

Beyond political, economic and multilateral exchanges, the cooperation between our countries encompasses a broad agenda. Mexico and China have signed cooperation agreements in such varied fields as cultural and sports exchanges, traditional medicine, hydric resources, forestry, science and technology, social welfare, aerospace sciences, and renewable energies.

Therefore, I am convinced that Mexico and China will continue an enduring friendship working side by side toward a shared future of peaceful prosperity, and inclusive development for our peoples and the rest of the world. In each field, our countries will continue to uphold joint efforts in raising our relationship to new heights in the upcoming years.

The author is Mexican ambassador to China. 

The author contributed this article to China Watch exclusively. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of China Watch.

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