On February 24, 2005, Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong who was paying a formal visit to Mexico held talks with Mexican President Vincente Fox in Mexico City. The two sides conducted in-depth discussions on bilateral cooperation in various fields and reached broad consensus.

Zeng Qinghong said after 33 years of development since the two sides established diplomatic relations, today's China-Mexico relations are full of energy. Increased mutual trust, productive collaboration in various fields and fruitful cooperation in international affairs have brought tangible benefits to the people of both countries. Mexico has become one of the most important partners of political and economic cooperation with China in Latin America. We are satisfied with the development of bilateral relations and remain thankful to the Mexican government for adhering to the one-China policy.

Zeng noted China and Mexico share broad common interests in safeguarding world peace, promoting common development and responding to challenges brought about by globalization. We need to seize the opportunity to enrich and deepen China-Mexico strategic partnership. The two sides should maintain top-level exchanges between governments, parliaments and political parties, and strengthen the guiding and coordinating role of the Standing Committee between the two countries. Both countries should work out specific measures to expand mutual investments and trade, improve trade mix, and explore cooperation in such areas as telecommunication, household appliances, the processing and assembly of light industrial products, ship making and high and new tech industry. The two sides need to encourage cultural organizations, civil societies, colleges and universities as well as scientific and research institutions to enhance personnel and information sharing. Both countries need to strengthen consultation and cooperation in international and regional organizations such as the United Nations, World Trade Organization, Organization of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation and Organization of American States.

Fox agreed on Zeng's suggestions, saying these important suggestions shed light on the direction of bilateral cooperation. He said cooperation between Mexico and China in various fields has been very productive in recent years and the two sides hold identical views on important international issues. Both countries have been searching for new channels to promote bilateral relations since the establishment of strategic partnership in 2003. Currently both Mexico and China are witnessing rapid economic development, which provides new opportunities for the two countries to expand and deepen cooperation. What the two sides need to do at present is to accelerate cooperation. Mexico highly prioritizes its relations with China and would like to promote constant development of bilateral relations together with China.

The Mexican side indicates it would continue to firmly uphold the one-China policy, support the guideline of "one country, two systems" proposed by the Chinese government to resolve the Taiwan question and understand the purpose of China's opposition to the special legislation aimed at "Taiwan independence".

The two sides agreed to set up sub-groups in trade and investment promotion, trade system analysis, trade statistics and industry policies under the High?Level Working Group in Economy and Trade between the two countries to comprehensively study bilateral economic and trade relations and further promote economic and trade cooperation.

Following the talks, the two sides signed seven documents including the Agreement on Criminal and Judicial Assistance, the Memorandum of Understanding on the Implementation of Tourist Schemes, the Protocol on Botanical Quarantine, etc. Zeng and Fox attended the signing ceremony.

On the same day, Zeng also met with President Diego Fernandez de Cevallos of the Mexican Senate and President Malio Fabio Beltrones of the Chamber of Deputies. Zeng said that to deepen China-Mexico friendly cooperation helps us give full play to our advantages, jointly respond to the challenges of globalization and promote the development of both countries. He said in recent years China's National People's Congress and Mexico's parliament have maintained close exchanges and conducted sound cooperation in international and regional parliamentary organizations such as the International Parliamentary Alliance and Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum. We hope the two countries' parliaments can enhance communication and cooperation so as to play an active role in continuing to promote China-Mexico strategic partnership and to make greater contributions to the two countries' prosperity.

The two presidents indicated both Mexico and China are conducting in-depth political and economic reforms and are looking for new ways of development in the future by relying on their own traditions and cultural characteristics. With a lot in common, the two countries share promising prospect for cooperation. It is the consensus of all political parties in Mexico to develop Mexico-China cooperation in all fields. The Mexican parliament will work unswervingly to promote the development of bilateral strategic partnership.

Zeng arrived in Mexico City on January 23 at local time to start his formal visit to Mexico. During the past two days, he also met with well-known figures from the Mexican intellectual community and the media as well as staffs of the Chinese Embassy in Mexico, Chinese-funded institutions, media and representatives of overseas Chinese students and compatriots.