Roundup: China, Mexico vow to boost economic, cultural cooperation

China and Mexico vowed to boost economic and cultural relations during an official visit to the Latin American country by Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong.

During the visit that concluded on Tuesday, Liu met with senior Mexican political figures including Senate President Roberto Gil Zuarth and Chamber of Deputies President Jesus Zambrano.

She also met with Mexican Culture Minister Rafael Tovar and witnessed the signing of a joint declaration boosting cooperation in culture and arts.

In her meetings with the Mexican parliament leaders, Liu said she saw great potential for the cooperation between China and Mexico, two important developing countries and emerging economies that are undergoing key reforms.

China and Mexico opened a new chapter for bilateral relations in 2013 when Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Mexican counterpart, Enrique Pena Nieto, lifted their bilateral relations to the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership, Liu said.

The vice premier said China attaches great importance to the development of China-Mexico relations and is willing to take the celebration of the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties with Mexico next year as an opportunity to dovetail its development plan with Mexico's blueprint.

The two countries should use the opportunity to boost their cooperation in industrial investment, infrastructure, telecommunications, energy and innovation and increase their exchanges in education, culture, sports and tourism, she said.

Liu voiced hopes for both houses of the Mexican parliament to enhance exchanges with the National People's Congress of China and play a constructive role in promoting bilateral friendship and cooperation.

The Mexican parliament leaders, for their part, said Mexico-China relations are currently at their best.

Mexico sees China as an important partner for strategic cooperation and is committed to continuously strengthening trade and economic cooperation and people-to-people and cultural exchanges with China, they said.

Mexico hopes to draw from China's development experience and conduct closer exchanges and cooperation with China in trade, innovation, education, culture and tourism, they added.

The Mexican parliament will continue to be committed to promoting understanding, friendship and cooperation between the two peoples, they said.

Liu and Zambrano also attended a performance celebrating the Year of China-Latin America Cultural Exchange in 2016. Mexico will host events for the Year of Chinese Culture next year.

The two countries have great potential for cultural and educational cooperation, the Chinese vice premier said at a meeting with Mexican Culture Minister Culture Minister Rafael Tovar.

Liu inaugurated a Confucius Classroom at the Universidad del Caribe in Cancun in the state of Quintana Roo on Sunday.

She said at the ceremony that her visit is aimed at implementing important agreements reached by the leaders of the two countries and that fostering friendly ties between the peoples is key to strengthening bilateral relations.

More and more young Chinese are learning Spanish and the Chinese language is increasingly popular in Latin America, she noted.

Mexico has established five Confucius Institutes with some 30,000 registered students.

On Tuesday, Liu visited the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) based in Texcoco and witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the China Scholarship Council and the CIMMYT on renewing their cooperation.

She praised the research center for its contribution to helping developing countries develop their agricultural sector, and said that China stands ready to continue expanding cooperation with the CIMMYT, so as to better help developing nations with their agricultural development and food security.

Martin Kropff, director general of the CIMMYT, said the center hopes to deepen cooperation with China in grooming talent, conducting research on germplasm resources and establishing a research center in East Asia. Endi