China seeks balanced trade with Mexico: minister

MEXICO CITY - China does not pursue a trade surplus and is willing to work with Mexico for balanced trade, visiting Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming said here on Wednesday.

The Chinese government attaches great importance to developing a strategic partnership with Mexico, especially through the strengthening of economic and trade cooperation, Chen told a trade and investment promotion forum. China-Mexico economic and trade cooperation has maintained good momentum and achieved fruitful results in recent years thanks to joint efforts by both governments and business sectors, he said.

A healthy, stable, mutually beneficial and win-win bilateral economic and trade relationship conforms to the common interests of China and Mexico, Chen said.

He made a four-point proposal to further promote China-Mexico economic and trade cooperation: to create an open and win-win cooperation environment, to strengthen exchanges and cooperation between enterprises and industries, to expand investment cooperation, and to cultivate new growth points.

Also on Wednesday, Chen met with Mexico's Economy Minister Bruno Ferrari on boosting bilateral economic and trade cooperation and the first G20 economic and trade ministers' meeting.

In 2011, Mexico became China's second largest trading partner in Latin America, as well as China's second largest export market and the fourth largest exporter to China in the region, according to statistics from Chinese customs.

Bilateral trade amounted to $33.36 billion in 2011, up 34.7 percent from the previous year, the data showed.