Chinese Vice President in Mexico to boost trade

MEXICO: Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping began a visit to Mexico Tuesday, meeting with President Felipe Calderon and business leaders in a bid to boost trade between the two nations.

During the encounter, Xi “pointed out Mexico’s predominant place in China’s international relations and reiterated his interest in further deepening relations between the two countries,” Calderon’s office said in a statement after the meeting.

Xi also met earlier with Economy Minister Gerardo Ruiz, who said China was Mexico’s second-biggest trading partner after the United States, with bilateral trade increasing ten-fold in eight years: from three billion dollars in 2000 to more than 34 billion in 2008.

Ruiz, however, said there was more room for growth in trade with China.

At a luncheon in his honor after his arrival here, Xi told Mexican officials and business leaders that China was seeking more bilateral trade to offset the “serious impact” of the global financial crisis.

“This crisis continues to spread and expand and has yet to touch bottom, causing a serious impact on the economic development of our people. China cannot overlook this world financial crisis,” Xi said.

MEXICO CITY, AFP