Mexico hosts Festival of China

China and Mexico were trusted friends and partners of mutual benefit, a senior

Chinese political adviser said Friday during the opening ceremony of the

Festival of China in Mexico.

Abdul'ahat Abdulrixit, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese

People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), inaugurated the event

together with former Mexican president Vicente Fox Quesada in the central city

of Leon.

Representatives from political, financial and cultural circles in Mexico and

China also participated in the event.

Economic and trade relations were the basis for deepening mutually beneficial

cooperation, the senior CPPCC official said, noting Mexico had become China's

second largest trading partner and largest export market in Latin America while

China was Mexico's second largest trading partner in the world.

"China and Mexico are good friends and partners. We have no conflict of

fundamental interests and share similar or identical criteria in our affairs,"

he said.

He proposed the two sides deepen political relations to create a favorable

environment for mutually beneficial cooperation in all fields.

Meanwhile, the two nations also needed to further facilitate bilateral trade

and properly handle trade frictions to achieve sustainable development of

China-Mexico trade cooperation, he said.

In addition, China and Mexico should explore their complementary potential to

promote bilateral pragmatic and mutually beneficial cooperation, he added.

Fox said the Festival of China would help build a bridge for cultural

exchanges between China and Mexico.

Recalling his visit to China earlier this year, Fox said he had witnessed the

enormous changes in China's development over the years, from which Mexico should

learn.

Meanwhile, Zeng Gang, China's ambassador to Mexico, said 2012 was a

significant year in the history of bilateral relations and the festival played

an important and positive role in promoting cooperation and economic exchanges

between the two countries.

The three-day festival is an international platform for the development of

China-Mexico cultural, economic and trade cooperation. It will include, among

other things, Chinese art exhibitions, culture symposiums, economic forums and

cultural meetings.