The Mexican Ambassador to China Jose Luis Bernal Rodriguez Photo: Zhang Dan/GT

Mexico has extended the hand of friendship to Chinese auto related and high-tech companies to invest in the country aimed at strengthening manufacturing and e-commerce sectors in the post-COVID-19 era, the Mexican Ambassador to China Jose Luis Bernal Rodriguez told the Global Times on Wednesday.

In addition to Chinese investment in infrastructure, Mexico has sought investment in its auto industry, including vehicle production and auto parts, the ambassador said. 

"We are inviting new companies to participate in new energy sector, and several Chinese companies are already working in this area in Mexico," he added.

Across the information and communication technology sectors, there are tech companies from China expanding to Mexico, including telecom firms Huawei, ZTE and ride hailing startup Didi Chuxing.

In response to some countries' scrutiny and restrictions on Huawei to build the local wireless networks, the ambassador told the Global Times that Mexico is not engaged in similar behavior, adding the country continues to be a very open market.

Despite the pandemic, Chinese investments in Mexico grew 160 percent year-on-year, according to official data.

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, the ambassador expected bilateral cooperation to expand to sectors of medical equipment production, pharmaceuticals, and vaccines against the COVID-19.

"For vaccines, Mexico is working together with different countries. With China in particular, we have established contracts already with the Chinese laboratories, so that one of them at least can be tested in phase three [clinical trial]," he said.

"We hope that Mexico will be able to start applying the new vaccine, most likely in December…we are waiting for the first authorization and first delivery in December so that we will be able to start a national vaccine application program in January next year," the ambassador added.

Hailing China's rapid recovery due to the containment of the virus compared with other countries, he underscored Mexico will seek to expand the bilateral trade.

In addition, the ambassador believed China's new development pattern of the dual circulation will provoke more domestic consumption. "Many Mexican firms are getting ready to supply the China market."