Chinese, Mexican FMs voice willingness to enhance cooperation in multilateral fields

BEIJING - Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Mexico's Foreign Affairs Minister Marcelo Ebrard voiced willingness to enhance bilateral cooperation in multilateral fields during a phone conversation on Thursday.

During the call, Wang said China has always regarded Mexico as an important strategic cooperative partner, and will unswervingly promote the long-term friendship between the two countries and firmly support Mexico in developing its economy and improving people's livelihood.

Wang noted that in April 2020, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Mexican counterpart, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, held a phone conversation, charting the course for anti-pandemic cooperation between the two sides and the development of bilateral relations.

China highly appreciates Mexico's positive contribution to the continuous development of the China and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) Forum, he said, adding that the new year will bring new opportunities to China-Mexico and China-Latin America relations.

China and Mexico should maintain high-level contacts and deepen political mutual trust, so as to lift bilateral relations to a new level and maintain the momentum of development of China-Latin America relations, Wang said.

Mexico is a major emerging and developing country, Wang said, adding that China supports Mexico in performing its duties as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

China is willing to further strengthen coordination and cooperation between the two sides in multilateral fields, jointly safeguard multilateralism and the norms of international relations, jointly expand the rights and interests of developing countries, and looks forward to strengthening solidarity and cooperation in various fields, Wang said.

Noting that China attaches great importance to Mexico's request for vaccine cooperation, Wang said the Chinese government supports Chinese enterprises in carrying out vaccine cooperation with Mexico, and is ready to promote the cooperation in strict accordance with laws and regulations.

Wang expressed belief that under Lopez Obrador's leadership, Mexico will certainly prevail over the pandemic at an early date.

Noting that a friend in need is a friend indeed, Ebrard said that Mexico regards China as a partner and friend sticking together through thick and thin.

He thanks China for its strong support in Mexico's fight against the pandemic, expressing hopes that the Chinese government will facilitate Mexico's purchase of Chinese vaccines.

Mexico is ready to take its holding of the rotating presidency of the CELAC as an opportunity to push for more achievements in Mexico-China and Latin America-China relations, he said.

Mexico also thanks China for its support for Mexico's non-permanent membership of the UNSC and is ready to continue strengthening cooperation with China in multilateral areas, he added.