Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping arrived in Mexico City on Monday for an official visit to Mexico.

In a written speech issued at Mexico City's Benito Juarez International Airport upon his arrival, Xi extended sincere greetings and good wishes from China to the Mexican people.

"Mexico is a country of long history and brilliant culture. In recent years, Mexican people have come to grandiose fruition in both economic and social development, for which the Chinese people are gratified to witness, and we hold heartful wishes that your achievement will continue," he said.

Xi said that since the establishment of diplomatic ties 37 years ago, especially the establishment of a bilateral strategic partnership in 2003, cooperation between China and Mexico has accomplished fruitful development in various fields.

Chinese President Hu Jintao visited Mexico in 2005 and Mexican president Felipe Calderon visited China last year, bringing bilateral relations into a new phase of development. "China has full confidence in a beautiful future of friendship with Mexico", Xi said.

During his three-day visit, Xi will meet Mexican President Calderon and hold talks with other high-level government officials to exchange views on bilateral relations and international and regional issues of mutual concern.

He believed that his visit would help enhance bilateral friendship, deepen consensus, expand cooperation and promote the development of the Sino-Mexican relations.

Mexican Vice Foreign Minister Lourdes Aranda, Chinese Ambassador in Mexico Yin Hengmin, representatives of the Chinese embassy and other institutions were at the airport to welcome the vice president.

Xi's visit to Mexico is to end on Wednesday. The Chinese vice president will also visit Jamaica, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil and Malta, which will last to Feb. 22.

(Xinhua News Agency February 10, 2009)