Mexico is N American gateway for China- Nieto
April 4, 2013, 7:03 am

President Pena Nieto said through dialogue the two countries can deepen relations [AP]

“Mexico can be a gateway for China to enter North America, the world’s richest market,” said Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.

In an interview with Xinhua Nieto stressed that Mexico-China cooperation has remarkable opportunities in trade and infrastructure.

Terming China as an attractive market for Mexico, the president said: “For Mexico, China represents an opportunity to increase its productive investment, and multiply and diversify its export capacity.

“China’s economic dynamism, the size of its market and its high demand for goods, turn China into an attractive market for Mexico.

“It can also be a point of access to several countries in Central America and the Caribbean,” said the president, who is scheduled to attend the 2013 Boao Forum for Asia in China on April 6-8.

The Mexican government is maintaining its forecast for 4 per cent gross domestic product (GDP) growth in 2014.

Through dialogue, “we can deepen what we have in common, from our ancient cultures to our economic exchanges,” he added.

“Expanding China’s Confucius Institute in Mexico, by opening branches in more cities, would be the perfect way to raise greater awareness of Chinese culture among Mexicans and to promote the study of Mandarin,” Pena Nieto said.

The Mexican president also said his country would like to learn from China’s experience in energy and infrastructure development given the fact that China is home to the world’s largest network of bullet trains.

“China is, without doubt, an excellent model on the issue,” he said.

“We have much to learn from its successful history in railway infrastructure.”

Mexico’s communications and transportation ministry is currently working on a five-year (2013-2018) plan to build a series of railways.

Mexican exports to China in 2012 were $5.7 billion while their imports were $57 billion.

Xinhua