A new commercial maritime route between China and Mexico has been inaugurated, which promises to reduce the time required to travel between the port of Dalian, in northeast Asia, and the ports of the Mexican Pacific by up to 10 days.
The new route was inaugurated with the departure of the Indian merchant ship OOCL CHENNAI. The crossing which will now have an average duration of 22 days, 10 days fewer than the previous routes. The new route is operated by the Chinese company COSCO Shipping Corporation Limited, which plans to deploy eight freighters with a capacity of between 6,000 to 8,000 containers. This is in order to offer a weekly direct service to Mexican ports.
The new trade route was officially inaugurated on July 19. The goods that will transit via this new route will include grain, chemical and mineral products, as well as automobile parts and machinery, according to the general manager of the Dalian Container Terminal, Li Xiaoguang, quoted by the Chinese state media agency Xinhua.
“This way, the transportation needs of northeastern Chinese companies seeking to enter emerging markets in Latin America will be effectively met,” Xiaoguang said.
Mexico is China's second largest trading partner in Latin America. According to customs data, trade between the two countries reached a volume of 633 billion yuan, or US$ 86 billion in 2022, representing a 13.3% increase over the previous year.
Currently, the port of Dalian is the second largest shipment center in China, which manages almost a hundred maritime routes including connections with Asia, Europe and America.
Mexico and China share a close relationship. Since the pandemic, cooperation between the two countries has intensified, with China playing a key role in the distribution of face masks and vaccines to the Central American country.
In 2023, Mexico received only US$ 15 million in new investments from China, a lower figure than in previous years. However, in the last five years, China has implemented diplomatic engagement strategies with the aim of promoting economic recovery in Mexico and Latin America.
Main source:
Se inauguró una ruta marítima directa entre México y China – Infobae (2024, julio 23).
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