Chinese President Jiang Zemin held formal talks with his Mexican counterpart Vincente Fox Quesada in Beijing Wednesday.

The two heads of state exchanged views on bilateral relations and international issues of common concern, and reached consensus on a wide range of topics.

While extending a warm welcome to Fox, Jiang said Fox's visit is of vital significance for creating broader cooperative prospects between China and Mexico in the new century.

Jiang said that the friendship between the two nations has a long history, and Mexico was one of the first Latin-American countries to establish diplomatic relations with China.

Since China and Mexico established diplomatic relations in 1972, the bilateral friendly cooperation has expanded from politics to economy, culture, education, science and technology, and yielded successful results, said Jiang.

"We really appreciate and are satisfied with the efforts by Fox since he assumed his presidency," Jiang said.

While extending his thanks to the Chinese government for its warm and considerate reception, Fox said that Mexico attaches great importance to bilateral cooperation in a wide range of fields.

Fox said that in recent years bilateral economic cooperation has developed rapidly, and Mexico is willing to further promote its friendly cooperative relations with China on the basis of equality and mutual benefit.

He said that his government would, as always, adhere to the one- China principle.

On the issue of human rights, he said that Mexico is willing to enhance cooperation with China in this field, and Mexico is in favor of cooperation and against confrontation.

Jiang said that he appreciated Mexico's position on the issue of human rights and it’s adhering to the one-China principle.

On bilateral trade and economic cooperation, Jiang said that Mexico is an important member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and China attaches importance to bilateral negotiation with Mexico on its WTO entry.

Mexico supports China's joining the WTO as soon as possible, and it will take a more flexible stance in the upcoming bilateral WTO talks, so as to reach agreement on China's entry into the WTO as soon as possible, responded fox.

Fox expressed his belief that Mexico and China are not competitors, but good partners.

Fox also invited President Jiang Zemin to attend an international conference on aid and development in March next year, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) informal leadership meeting. Both will be hosted by Mexico next year.

Jiang expressed his thanks for the invitations.

After the talks, the two heads of state attended a signing ceremony for a cooperation agreement between China's Supreme People’s Procuratorate and its Mexican counterpart, after which a banquet was given to entertain the president and his entourage.

Prior to the talks, Jiang presided over a welcoming ceremony for Fox, who arrived here earlier Wednesday by special plane for a four-day state visit to China as Jiang's guest.

This is Fox's first visit to China since becoming Mexico’s president last year.

Besides Beijing, Fox and his entourage are also scheduled to visit Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, and China’s biggest economic hub, Shanghai.

(Xinhua 06/06/2001)