The foreign ministers of China and Mexico opened on Thursday the second meeting of the China-Mexico Permanent Bi-national Commission, a two day meeting analyzing the two nations' progress in diplomacy and trade over the last five years.

 

Mexico's Foreign Minister Luis Ernesto Derbez said that the meeting would examine "the great progress made in the last five years" and how to press forward in new challenges and opportunities.

 

Derbez welcomed the Chinese delegation to the event, which runs from Thursday to Friday in Mexico's Foreign Ministry, then spoke of the importance of collaboration between the two nations, and called for continued fruitful dialog.

 

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said that the two nations had become "great trading partners" and added that the Chinese government had always given relations with Mexico great priority.

 

After the opening ceremony, Mexican and Chinese delegates split into working groups covering agriculture, energy, transport, social development and tourism.

 

The Chinese delegation including representatives from 15 ministries and government agencies, split into four commissions: politics; economics and trade; technology; and education.

 

This week's meeting will focus on pushing forward the agreements signed by Mexican President Vicente Fox and Chinese President Hu Jintao, in 2005, and will also review progress since the 2004 Commission meeting.

 

The two countries agreed to set up a Bilateral Strategic Partnership in 2003. The commission held its first meeting in Beijing in 2004.

 

On Wednesday, Fox met visiting Foreign Minister Li in Mexico city.

 

(Xinhua News Agency May 19, 2006)