Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Ernesto Derbez Bautista 　　 　　 　　China and Mexico, two significant developing countries in the world, have been strengthening cooperation in all fields in recent years. And the two countries are confident about improving their ties in the future. Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Ernesto Derbez Bautista shares his views on bilateral relations in a written response to questions from Beijing Review reporter Ding Ying.
　　
　　Beijing Review: What do you think of the current China-Mexico relationship? In what direction does Mexico hope to develop bilateral ties?
　　Luis Ernesto Derbez Bautista: Since the establishment of diplomatic relations over three decades ago, Mexico and China have developed a substantive political dialogue, strong bilateral and multilateral cooperation, and increasingly important economic ties.
　　Nowadays, bilateral relations are based on the “strategic partnership” established in 2003 by Mexican President Vicente Fox and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. The goal of this strategic partnership is to strengthen the long-term development of political dialogue, to enhance the substance of the relationship through the implementation of specific action-oriented initiatives in priority areas, and to manage economic relations to better meet both short-term challenges and medium- and long-term opportunities.
　　In order to institutionalize the dialogue in all areas, Mexico and China established a ministerial-level binational commission, the first of its kind for China and the first for Mexico with an Asian nation.
　　The first meeting, held in Beijing in August 2004 with the participation of eight ministers of the Mexican cabinet, was very successful. In the spirit of our strategic partnership, specific agreements were reached in the fields of tourism, air and maritime transport, social development, agriculture, science and technology, culture and education, among others. The meeting allowed us to undertake a comprehensive review of the current state of bilateral relations and to develop a strategy for its future development, taking into account the increasing complexity and diversity of our exchanges.
　　During my recent visit to China, where I had the opportunity to meet Premier Wen, my counterpart Li Zhaoxing and Minister of Trade, Bo Xilai, and Minister of Culture, Sun Jiazheng, I presented a letter in which President Fox ratifies the Government of Mexico’s commitment to our strategic partnership. In Beijing, we also agreed that the second meeting of the Binational Commission will be held in Mexico next May. We hope to have strong ministerial representation in the Chinese delegation and to continue to move forward through an action plan that will consolidate the strategic partnership.
　　As a concrete example of our commitment to strengthen our presence in China, the vice minister of foreign affairs formally inaugurated our new consulate in Guangzhou on February 22. It is the first consulate of a Latin American country in that city, which is in one of the most dynamic regions of China in terms of international trade and accelerated economic development.
　　Mexico and China share similar points of view on a wide variety of issues in the contemporary multilateral agenda. For example, out of 71 resolutions adopted by the 60th United Nations General Assembly, Mexico and China voted in the same manner on 59 of them, representing an index of coincidence of slightly more than 83 percent. Qualitatively, both countries maintain close consultations on many multilateral processes such as the reform of the UN, the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council, as well as many other institutional aspects, which constitute the UN reform agenda.
　　
　　Mexico is now China’s second largest trading partner in Latin America. Is there any plan by Mexico to enhance our economic cooperation, and if so, what is the goal of this plan?
　　China is now Mexico’s second largest commercial partner overall and the largest in Asia, recently surpassing Japan. From January to October 2005, the exchanges increased more than 20 percent compared with the same period of the previous year. Regarding investment, China became the fifth largest investor from its region in Mexico. As of last September, 369 businesses in Mexico had capital of Chinese origin, concentrated mainly in the commercial sector, and to a lesser extent, in manufacturing industries.
　　The prospects of cooperation between China and Mexico are very promising. During the visit to Mexico by President Hu Jintao in September 2005, the two countries reached an important consensus on the future development of bilateral relations, as both enjoy solid political foundations, wide-ranging common interests and broad development prospects. In the economic sphere, the objective is to further bilateral economic and trade cooperation, expand two-way investment and explore new areas for cooperation.
　　
　　Recently, Latin American countries, such as Venezuela, have been protesting some of America’s policies toward the region. What is Mexico’s view on this point? How do you regard current Mexico-U.S. relations?
　　Mexico has always been a staunch supporter of constructive, respectful dialogue and cooperation as the ideal means to conduct international relations. This is true of our relations with the United States and with Venezuela. We believe that such a practice is the best guarantee of peace, and the way to find win-win solutions to any difficulties that may arise among nations.
　　Regarding our relations with the United States, we face both challenges and opportunities. Our bilateral agenda includes practically all areas of social, political and economic interaction. We have successfully designed and strengthened institutional mechanisms, such as the Binational Commission, which has proven to be an effective avenue to provide certainty and continuity to our very rich, complex relationship.
　　At the sub-regional level, President Fox’s vision of a prosperous Mexico coincides with the United States and Canada’s expectation regarding a stronger partnership among NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) countries. Mexico, Canada and the United States have gradually increased both commercial and investment ties through NAFTA, and we have decided that the next step forward in the direction of a stronger North America is the joint promotion of both prosperity and security in the three countries. We have named this endeavor the “Alliance for Security and Prosperity in North America,” or ASPAN.
　　The next Binational Commission meeting will take place in late March, and it will provide an opportunity to evaluate most areas of the bilateral relationship between Mexico and the United States. Shortly afterwards, leaders of Mexico, the United States and Canada will meet to review progress in ASPAN, thus providing continuity and direction to current efforts.
　　
　　Recent reports show that both China and Mexico are among top consumers of bottled pure water, which raises the issue of natural resources. What is Mexico’s policy on the environment and resource protection?
　　Mexico seeks sustainable development through the principle of common and differentiated responsibility toward global environmental problems.
　　In the Mexican Foreign Affairs Ministry, we promote the codification of international law for environmental protection and the implementation of multilateral mechanisms and conventions to face challenges in the use and the conservation of natural resources.
　　In fulfillment of our international commitments, the Mexican Ministry for Environment and Natural Resources has developed programs to evaluate the environmental situation in our country, on the use and protection of natural resources, and on effective sustainable development programs.
　　
　　Mexico is known for its ancient civilization, as is China. Is there any plan for Mexico to introduce this ancient civilization to more Chinese?
　　We are very interested in improving our cultural ties as a key element of our relationship.
　　During the first meeting of the Binational Commission, we agreed to strengthen Mexico’s cultural presence in China during 2006. We have put together an ambitious cultural program that will see Mexican exhibitions, films and theatrical and musical groups in main cultural festivals, venues and museums of Beijing and Shanghai.
　　
　　Can you comment on the current Iranian nuclear crisis? What would be Mexico’s stance if a military attack were launched on Iran?
　　Mexico has always supported a negotiated solution to this sensitive issue and we will continue to do so because we believe that there are many approaches that have not yet been explored within the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
　　Mexico pays special attention to the strengthening of the verification process of the IAEA as the sole competent authority for verification, in pursuit of the complete elimination of nuclear weapons. We consider that nuclear disarmament and the non-proliferation and complete eradication of weapons of mass destruction must be addressed as an ultimate objective of the multilateral collective security system.
　　In terms of the civil use of atomic energy, Mexico fully backs the principal IAEA mission based on three criteria: security, nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and the verification process, in order to preserve peace and international cooperation.
　　We acknowledge various diplomatic initiatives underway by the IAEA Board of Governors and especially by the EU, Russia and China in search of a peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear issue within the multilateral framework.
　　In this regard and during its membership on the IAEA board, Mexico has acted in full compliance with its foreign policy principles and in accordance with international law. Although we currently are not a member of the board, we will continue our efforts to work on behalf of the resolution of the issue through diplomatic means and by means of a technical and legal approach.
　　We strongly believe that there is still more that can be done toward finding a diplomatic solution with regard to the enrichment program and avoiding any action that could undermine international stability and peace.
　　
　　Mexico is facing a drug trafficking problem. How does the Mexican Government view foreign cooperation in combating international drug dealing?
　　Drug trafficking, organized transnational crime and corruption are issues that affect the international community as a whole. No nation can successfully face these problems individually. Therefore international cooperation, respectful of national sovereignty, is essential.
　　In the international arena, Mexico has always been a strong proponent of a multilateral approach based on the principle of shared responsibility and an active participant in international and regional bodies such as the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs and the Inter-American Drug Control Commission of the Organization of American States. Mexico is a party to all major international drug control, organized crime and anti-corruption instruments.
　　In the North American region, Mexico has taken the lead within the Security and Prosperity Partnership, calling for regional policies that will strengthen the control of borders and control of chemical precursors. The Mexican Government has decidedly tackled the problem of corruption and drug trafficking.
　　
　　In 2006, Mexico will hold a presidential election. If a left-wing party wins the election, will the country’s policy toward China change?
　　A strong and forward-looking Mexico-China relationship is a priority for the Mexican State. I am convinced that regardless of the party that wins our presidential elections, we will continue to consolidate our strategic partnership from a comprehensive and long-term perspective.
　　Considering the growing importance of China in the international arena, as well as the new dynamism of Mexico-China relations, I am sure that the new Mexican government will continue enhancing the political dialogue and promoting trade, investment, tourism, academic and cultural exchanges, as well as scientific and technological cooperation.
　　
　　When the world economy is fully globalized, Mexico and China will face the same problem: We will lose our advantages of providing a cheap labor source and acting as the world’s factory. What is Mexico doing to prepare for this possibility?
　　Mexico cannot compete against China in terms of labor costs. We must identify those sectors that offer opportunities for growth through strategic alliances between Chinese and Mexican enterprises, such as agriculture and tourism. In this sense, the Binational Commission constitutes an ideal framework for developing the vision and strategy to look at each other as partners and not as competitors in terms of trade and investment.
　　As developing countries, we both need to invest in education and research and development. Various reforms, particularly regarding simplification of business-related procedures, are necessary. Poor income distribution is another common challenge and the right approach to solving the issue is to aim at good-quality growth, not just growth per se.

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