Mexico City (VNA) - A delegation of the ASEAN Committee in Mexico (ACMC) visited Durango state from November 25-27 to promote collaboration in trade, investment, mining, education, and culture.
During the visit, ambassadors from Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand met with Governor Esteban Villegas Villarreal, signed a Letter of Intent for cooperation, participated in the ASEAN-Durango Business Forum, and worked with representatives from the Juarez University of Durango and several local businesses.
Governor Villarreal emphasised that the visit marked an opportunity to strengthen ties between Durango and ASEAN, a region known for rapid economic growth. Both sides agreed to enhance trade, investment, education, and organise trade promotion events.
At the ASEAN-Durango Forum, ASEAN ambassadors highlighted their countries' strengths and affirmed that closer ties would create new opportunities for trade and investment.
Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Van Hai noted that Vietnam-Mexico trade exceeded 12 billion USD in 2023, up 12.7% from the previous year. Vietnam has also expanded investment in Mexico through companies like FPT, Formula Air, and VinFast.
The ACMC delegation also collaborated with the Juarez University of Durango to discuss advanced training models and student exchange programs. They visited key economic facilities, including logistics and automobile manufacturing companies.
Durango, a major mining hub in Mexico, operates over 100 active mines, generating export revenues of 2.5 billion USD in 2023. The automobile and auto parts industry contributed 2 billion USD. With modern infrastructure, including the Durango-Mazatlán Highway, Durango serves as a gateway connecting northern and southern Mexico, facilitating goods transport worth over 15 billion USD annually./.
