Mexico City (VNA) – Mexico’s connection withVietnam is an exemplary relationship of the American nation with a country inthe Asia-Pacific region, a Mexican senator told Vietnamese Ambassador NguyenHoai Duong on October 23.

At the meeting, Cora Cecilia Pinedo Alonso,President of the Foreign Affairs Asia – Pacific – Africa Commission at theMexican Senate, said her country attaches importance to all-round relationswith Vietnam – a nation with political and social stability, an average annualeconomic growth rate of over 6 percent, a young workforce, and growing staturein the international community.

She said the two countries share manysimilarities in history, culture and hospitality and holds importantgeo-political positions in their respective regions, which are also factorshelping to promote bilateral ties.

During over 40 years of diplomatic ties, Vietnamis a friend with extensive connections in politics, culture and economy withMexico. After their leaders’ meeting at the 2017 APEC Economic Leaders’ Week inDa Nang city last year, the two countries’ relations have entered a new stageof development with closer cooperation in multiple fields towards building astrategic partnership, the senator said.

Cora Cecilia added their friendship has alsobeen reinforced through mutual visits to exchange management experience invarious areas, including working visits by senior parliamentary officials. Thetwo sides have also supported each other at multilateral forums such as thoseon climate change and global security.

Economic and trade links have enjoyed greatstrides with bilateral trade approximating 5 billion USD in 2017. Mexico hasbecome the third largest trade partner of Vietnam in Latin America while theSoutheast Asian nation now ranks eighth among Asian-Pacific trade partners ofMexico, she noted.

For his part, Ambassador Duong affirmed that thetwo countries’ relations are growing strongly in all spheres, including betweentheir parliaments.

He highly valued the Mexican parliament’ssupport and coordination in organising cultural activities to popularise the imagesof Vietnam’s land and people, thus helping to deepen mutual understandingbetween the nations.

There remains much room for bilateralcooperation to expand, particularly in economy, trade, culture, education andtourism, he said, voicing his belief that once coming into effect, theComprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)will help facilitate the countries’ economic, trade and investmentties.-VNA