Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Mexican counterpart Enrique Pena Nieto say they'll be lifting the bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

 

　　Here's Wei Tong with the details of the announcement, made in Mexico City.

 

　　This was part of the Chinese President's official visit to the Latin American country, when both leaders agreed that strengthening their cooperation served not just the interests of the two countries and its peoples, but it also helps promote unity and cooperation among developing countries.

 

　　"The objective of my visit to Mexico is to deepen mutual trust, expand cooperation and deepen friendships. I believe that with joint efforts from both sides, relations between China and Mexico can enter a brand new phase of development."

 

　　It's something strongly endorsed by Pena Nieto as well, who says the boosting of Sino-Mexican ties will also be conducive to spurring economic growth in the emerging countries.

 

　　"Mexico and China are two rising countries inside a new international order. In this sense, I hope this visit allows us to stabilize a strategic and integral association in favour of economic growth and the quality of life of our people."

 

　　With this, the two sides are now expected to sign a series of deals covering economics as well as education.

 

　　The deals are expected to further add to the two-way trade, which last year, came in at 36.7-billion U.S. dollars.

 

　　This makes China the second largest trading partner of Mexico, which is China's second biggest in Latin America.

 

　　Mexico is the last leg of Xi Jinping's three-nation Latin American tour, which has already seen him make stops in Trinidad and Tobago and Costa Rica.

 

　　After Mexico, the Chinese president will fly to the U.S. state of California, where he will meet with the U.S. President Barack Obama.

 

　　For CRI, I am Wei Tong.