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China–Mexico relations

(Redirected from Mexico–China relations)

China–Mexico relations are the diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the United Mexican States. Diplomatic relation were established in 1972.[1] Both nations are members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, Forum of East Asia–Latin America Cooperation, G-20 major economies and the United Nations.

China-Mexican relations
Map indicating locations of People's Republic of China and Mexico

China
Mexico

History edit

 
The work by the Mexico-based Augustinian Juan González de Mendoza may have been the first book published in Europe (1585) containing (an attempt at a reproduction of) Chinese characters. Here, apparently, Mendoza tries to draw the character 城 ("city").[2]

Chinese-Mexican contacts date to the early days of the Spanish Colonial Empire in the Americas and the Philippines. In the 16th-17th century, people, goods, and news traveling between China and Spain usually did so through the Philippines (where there was a large Chinese settlement) and (via the Manila galleon trade) to Mexico. The first two galleons loaded with Chinese goods arrived from the Philippines to Acapulco in 1573.[3]

Of particular significance for the trade between the Spanish Colonial Empire and Ming and Qing China were the so-called "Spanish dollars", fine silver coins many of which were minted in Mexico from Mexican silver.[4] Even after Mexican independence, and, later, the Spain's loss of the Philippines, Mexican dollars remained important for China's monetary system. During the late Qing, they became the standard relative to which the silver coins that China's provincial mints started to produce were to be valued.[5]

This historic connection between the two countries is attested by two important early Spanish-language books (soon translated to Europe's other major languages) that were authored by Spanish ecclesiastics stationed in Mexico: Juan González de Mendoza's The history of the great and mighty kingdom of China and the situation thereof (1585) and Juan de Palafox y Mendoza's The History of the Conquest of China by the Tartars (posthumously published in 1670).[6]

In December 1899, Imperial China and Mexico formally established diplomatic relations after signing a Treaty of Amity, Commerce and Navigation between the two nations. In 1904, Mexico opened its first diplomatic mission in Beijing and maintained a diplomatic mission in several cities where it was forced to move (Nanjing and Shanghai) during various wars and instability until the mission was finally closed due to the Japanese invasion of China in 1941. In 1942, Mexico re-opened a diplomatic mission in the city of Chongqing and in 1943 diplomatic missions between the two nations were elevated to embassies.[1]

 
Chinese Premier Zhao Ziyang in Cancún attending the North–South Summit in 1981. It was the first visit by a Chinese head of government in Latin America.

In 1971, Mexico decided to break formal diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan) after the successful passing of Resolution 2758 at the United Nations recognizing the People's Republic of China as the only legitimate representative of China to the United Nations. In February 1972, the People's Republic of China and Mexico established diplomatic relations.[1] In 1973, Mexican President Luis Echeverría paid an official visit to China and met with Chinese Communist Party chairman Mao Zedong.[7]

In 2005, Chinese leader Hu Jintao came to Mexico promising increased investment in industries like automobile-parts manufacture and mineral exportation. In July 2008, Mexican President Felipe Calderón reciprocated with a visit to Beijing in a bid to improve bilateral trade. Nevertheless, China has focused more on South American commodity producers such as Brazil and Chile to meet this end and fuel its chiefly-export economy. In 2008, Mexico exported just $2 billion worth of goods to China while importing some $34 billion from them, including clothing, electronics and "tourist trinkets".

2009 swine flu dispute edit

In 2009, in the wake of fears of a worldwide swine flu pandemic, thought to have started in Mexico, relations between the two countries cooled substantially over China's decision to quarantine some seventy Mexican citizens, despite none of them showing symptoms of the virus. The Mexican government responded with outrage and, although China imposed the same measures on four nationals from the United States and more than twenty from Canada; dubbed the act discriminatory. Mexican Foreign Minister Patricia Espinosa used such terms as "unacceptable" and "without foundation", and advised compatriots not to travel to China.

Despite this, a mutual desire to increase bilateral trade and increase shipping of Mexican raw materials into China suggested that diplomatic tensions would be only temporary. "This should not affect the relationship in the medium-term because we are talking about an overreaction on both sides", said Enrique Dussel, an expert on Mexican-Chinese trade at the National Autonomous University of Mexico in Mexico City.[8]

Post-2016 United States presidential election edit

After the election of Donald Trump, China and Mexico pledged to deepen their diplomatic ties. On 12 December 2016, Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi met with Mexican Foreign Minister Claudia Ruiz Massieu to discuss improving transportation and trade between their countries.[9] In July 2019, Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard paid a visit to China to give renewed impetus to trade and investment between both countries.[10]

Relations in the 2020s edit

In 2021, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador apologized for his country's role in the Torreón massacre where more than 300 Chinese Mexicans were massacred in 1911 in the northern city of Torreón during an unprovoked act of racism towards Mexico's Asian community.[11][12]

In June 2022, both nations celebrated 50 years of diplomatic relations.[13] In November 2024, President López Obrador and President Xi held a meeting during the APEC Summit in San Francisco.[14]

High-level visits edit

 
Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto and Chinese President Xi Jinping (and their wives) in Chichen Itza, Mexico during President Xi state visit to the country in June 2013.

CCP leader, President and Premier visits from China to Mexico[15]

Presidential visits from Mexico to China [15]

Academic connections edit

The National Autonomous University of Mexico has established a Center for Chinese-Mexican Studies in the faculty of economics, aimed at increasing the understanding of China and its relationship to Mexico. The center hosts conferences and publishes reports, among other activities.[16] The university also has an academic office located at the Beijing Foreign Studies University.

Bilateral Agreements edit

Both nations have signed numerous bilateral agreements such as an Agreement on Trade (1973); Agreement on Tourism Cooperation (1978); Agreement on Cultural Exchanges (1978); Consular Agreement (1986); Agreement on Technical and Scientific Cooperation (1989); Agreement on Air Transportation (2004); Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters (2005); Agreement on Maritime Transport (2005); Agreement to Avoid Double Taxation and Prevent Tax Evasion in Income Taxes (2005); Agreement on Trade Remedy Measures (2008); Agreement for the Promotion and Reciprocal Protection of Investments (2008); Extradition Treaty (2008); Agreement for Recognition of Studies, Titles and Academic Degrees (2010); Agreement in Matters of Protection, Preservation, Return and Restitution of Cultural Property and Prevention of Theft, Clandestine Excavation and Illicit Import and Export of Cultural Property (2012); Agreement of Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters (2012); Memorandum of Understanding between the Mexican Secretariat of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology on Strengthening Cooperation in Advanced and New Technology and its Industrialization (2014); Agreement of Cooperation in Joint call on Research Projects on Science and Technology (2014); Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation between the China National Petroleum Corporation and Pemex (2014); Memorandum of Understanding between the Mexican Secretariat of Economy and the Chinese National Development and Reform Commission for the Promotion of Investment and Industrial Cooperation (2014); Memorandum of Understanding on the Traceability of Tequila (2015); Memorandum of Understanding on Agricultural Cooperation (2015); Memorandum of Understanding for Electronic Exchange of Import and Export Certificates of Agricultural, Aquaculture and Fishing Goods (2015); Agreement for the Protocol of Phytosanitary Requirements for the Export of Maize (2015); Agreement for the Inspection, Quarantine and Veterinary Health Conditions to Export Frozen Bovine Meat (2015) and a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Industrial Property Matters (2015) (among others).[17]

Tourism and travel edit

In 2019, approximately 170,000 Chinese citizens visited Mexico for tourism.[18] Holders of Hong Kong passports and Macao passports do not need a visa to visit Mexico (mainland Chinese passport holders do require a visa). There are comercial flights between both nations with China Southern Airlines. Several airlines offer direct cargo services between both nations.

Trade edit

China is Mexico's second largest trading partner globally. As a result of nearshoring China has invested heavily in Mexico to take advantage of Mexico's geographic proximity and free trade agreement with the United States through USMCA.[19] In 2023, two-way trade between both nations amounted to US$123 billion.[20] From January 1999 to December 2023, Mexico has received a total of US$2.5 billion in Chinese foreign direct investments.[20] Several Chinese multinational companies operate in Mexico such as Hisense, Huawei, JAC Motors, Lenovo and ZTE (among others). At the same time, several Mexican multinational companies operate in China such as Gruma, Grupo Bimbo, Nemak and Softtek (among others).

Resident diplomatic missions edit


  •  
    Embassy of China in Mexico City
  •  
    Embassy of Mexico in Beijing

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c History of diplomatic relations between Mexico and China (in Spanish)
  2. ^ See footnotes to pp. 121-122 in the annotated 1853 English edition: The history of the great and mighty kingdom of China and the situation thereof
  3. ^ Twitchett 1998, p. 391
  4. ^ Twitchett, Denis C., ed. (1998), The Cambridge History of China: Volume 8, The Ming Dynasty, Part 2; Parts 1368-1644, Cambridge University Press, pp. 407–408, ISBN 0521243335
  5. ^ Nathan, Andrew James (1976), Peking politics, 1918-1923: factionalism and failure of constitutionalism, Volume 8 of Michigan Studies on China, University of California Press, ISBN 0520027841
  6. ^ Chen, Min-Sun [Chen Mingsheng] (2003), Mythistory in Sino-Western Contacts. Jesuit Missionaries and the Pillars of Chinese Catholic Religion, Thunder Bay (Ontario): Lakehead University Printing Services, pp. 159–172, ISBN 0-88663-045-2
  7. ^ González, Fredy (2017). Paisanos Chinos: Transpacific Politics among Chinese Immigrants in Mexico. University of California Press. p. 177. ISBN 978-0-520-96448-8.
  8. ^ Quoted in Reuters 2009.
  9. ^ "After Trump's win, China and Mexico move to deepen ties". Reuters. December 13, 2016. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
  10. ^ Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard Begins Visit to China
  11. ^ "Mexican president apologizes for 1911 massacre of Chinese". Associated Press. 2021-05-18. Archived from the original on 2021-05-17 – via ABC News.
  12. ^ "Mexican president apologizes for 1911 massacre of Chinese". The Washington Post.
  13. ^ SRE conmemora el 50 aniversario del inicio de relaciones diplomáticas entre México y la República Popular China (in Spanish)
  14. ^ Xi Jinping Meets with President of Mexico Andrés Manuel López Obrador
  15. ^ a b 40 años de la relación entre México y China (in Spanish)
  16. ^ Centro de Estudios China-México
  17. ^ Bilateral agreements between Mexico and China (in Spanish)
  18. ^ China vuelve a permitir viajes de turismo a México y a otros países latinoamericanos (in Spanish)
  19. ^ Manufacturing in Mexico is having its moment. The US is buying in — and so is China
  20. ^ a b Data México: China
  21. ^ Embassy of China in Mexico City
  22. ^ Embassy of Mexico in Beijing
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