Visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping said Tuesday that China will make joint efforts with Mexico to deepen comprehensive strategic partnership, promote common development, and make greater contributions to safeguarding world peace, development and prosperity.
Earlier in the day, Xi and his Mexican counterpart, Enrique Pena Nieto, agreed at their meeting to elevate the two countries' relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
"We jointly announce the promotion of China-Mexico relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership which fully embodies the spirit of mutual respect, equality and sincere cooperation," Xi told a press conference after talks with Pena Nieto.
Xi said that the meeting has been "very fruitful" and that the two leaders have reached important consensus.
The Chinese president stressed that the long-time friendship between China and Mexico is in line with the fundamental interests of both countries and peoples, adding that China has always put China-Mexico ties in a strategic perspective and taken Mexico as a good friend and partner in Latin America.
Pena Nieto, for his part, said Xi's visit will promote mutual trust, cooperation and friendship between Mexico and China to a higher level.
The decision of forging a comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries has unveiled a new chapter for bilateral ties, he said.
The Mexican president appreciated China's efforts to boost bilateral relations, saying that Mexico will join hands with the Chinese side to enhance cooperation in all fields and create a bright future for the two peoples.
Mexico is the last leg of Xi's ongoing three-nation Latin American tour, which has already taken him to Trinidad and Tobago and Costa Rica.
Xi's wife, Peng Liyuan, being accompanied by Mexico's first lady Angelica Rivera, visited Federico Gomez Children's Hospital on Tuesday afternoon.
She met with the children who were receiving treatment at the hospital, wishing them quick recovery and welcoming them to visit China in future.
Peng also encouraged a Chinese female doctor who was doing research at the hospital to make greater contributions to children's medical research.
The Mexican children at the hospital said hello to Peng in Chinese.
Peng said to Rivera that "calling upon the whole society to take care of children, especially the sick ones, are our shared responsibility. We could carry out exchanges on children's health care."