Chinese President Hu Jintao told visiting Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Ernesto Derbez Bautista in Beijing Tuesday that China hopes to work together with Mexico to enrich the strategic partnership between the two countries.

Hu was pleased by the establishment of a permanent commission between the governments of China and Mexico on Monday. He said China and Mexico should work together and bring more benefits to the people of the two countries.

Derbez told Hu that Mexico will make use of the bi-national commission to promote cooperation between the two countries as well as the strategic partnership.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met with the Mexican foreign minister on Monday and said the establishment of the bi-national commission signifies a concrete step in the strategic partnership of the two countries.

The establishment of the commission was one of the consensuses reached by Wen and Mexican President Vicente Fox during Premier Wen's visit to Mexico last December.

China and Mexico forged their diplomatic ties in February 1972.

Mexico is now China's second largest trading partner in Latin America.

China is also a major trading partner of Mexico in Asia.

Bilateral trade volume reached US$ 3.11 billion in the first half year of 2004, up 34.8 percent year-on-year.

(Xinhua News Agency August 18, 2004)