Tightening the Bond
China and Mexico set to expand depth and breadth of multifaceted exchanges
China’s connections with the Latin American region trace back to the 16th century, facilitated by marine trade routes that enabled the exports of Chinese silk, porcelain and lacquerware to Mexico.
In The Silver Way: China, Spanish America and the Birth of Globalization, 1565-1815, authored by Peter Gordon, editor of the Asian Review of Books, and Juan José Morales, former President of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, it is revealed Spanish dollars minted in Mexico served as “the first global currency that supported trans-Pacific trade.”
In 1972, China and Mexico established diplomatic ties. The friendship between the two countries has since grown stronger over time.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of both the establishment of the China-Mexico comprehensive strategic partnership and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The China-proposed initiative aims to boost connectivity along and beyond the ancient Silk Road routes.
Against this backdrop, the China-Mexico Cooperation and Development Forum: Belt and Road Chapter, co-hosted by the China International Communications Group (CICG) Center for the Americas and the Foreign Languages Press, took place online and in person in both Beijing and Mexico City on November 28. Participants from China and Mexico shared their thoughts on cultural and people-to-people exchange.
A common dream
“The bond between the two peoples is getting stronger,” Chinese Ambassador to Mexico
Zhang Run told the forum. “Throughout my tenure as China’s ambassador to Mexico over the past 10 months, I have visited more than 10 Mexican states and cities. What I’ve heard the most is a strong desire for Mexico to seize the opportunities arising from Chinese modernization and the BRI. There is a consensus to collaborate with China instead of decoupling.”
Zhang stressed that both countries need to draw insights from each other’s rich civilizations and development experiences. In doing so, they can unlock greater potential for cooperation to advance bilateral relationship, he added.
Li Yafang, President of the CICG Center for Americas, noted that the achievements of China and Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries in Belt and Road cooperation hold valuable lessons for the continued development of China-Mexico relations.
At present, China is actively pursuing modernization with its own characteristics as part of its national rejuvenation, according to Li. China’s goal is not selfcentered nd modernization, but rather the pursuit of modernization together with other countries, especially those in the developing world. Meanwhile, Mexico is charting its own course of modernization as its people strive for a better life. “In this quest, China and Mexico share a common dream,” Li said.
China and Mexico are developing countries in similar stages of development, sharing similar developmental challenges, Zhao Kejin, Deputy Dean of the School of Social Sciences of Tsinghua University, said.
“There’s no one-size-fits-all recipe for achieving modernity,” Zhao stressed, adding it is crucial for China and Mexico to strengthen exchange on national governance and South-South cooperation. This will ensure a stronger connection between the two peoples and societies, facilitating partnership between the two nations, according to him.