China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Friday signed a Mutual Visa Exemption Agreement with Mexico, which will grant Macao SAR Passport holders more convenience when entering the Latin American nation.

The signing ceremony of the agreement took place in the SAR's Government Headquarters on Friday. Under the authorization from China's central government, the SAR's Secretary for Administration and Justice Florinda da Rosa Silva Chan, and the Acting Consul General of Mexico in Hong Kong and Macao Hector Huerta, who represented respectively the two sides, signed the agreement.

The agreement will be effective from October 19 this year. After the agreement comes into effect, holders of a valid Macao SAR Passport will be exempted from visa requirements when entering Mexico for a stay of maximum 90 days, according to the agreement.

Currently, a total of 77 countries and territories have agreed to grant visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to the Macao SAR passport holders, while nine countries have agreed to grant the visa-free access to the Macao SAR Travel Permit holders.

(Xinhua News Agency September 20, 2008)