Viet
Nam News spoke to Mexican Ambassador Gilberto Limin Enriquez to mark his
country's National Day today.
We
would like to express our condolences over the loss caused by the "act of
terror" attack on citizens in Monterrey City last month. What has the
Mexican Government done to tighten up security since?
Thank you so much for your condolences. This
was one of the deadliest episodes of violence in our country. A cowardly attack
on Monterrey, Mexico's industrial heartland, that left 52 people dead. The
massacre illustrates how brutal the drug cartels are in trying to dominate
territories for control of trafficking routes to the United States.
The Mexican Government is engaged in a vital
effort to disrupt and dismantle drug cartels. President of Mexico Felipe
Calderon reaffirmed his commitment to the all-out war against drug cartels that
his government has been waging since taking power in December 2006. Several
people have already been arrested in connection with this episode, including
five suspected members of the Zetas with 18 more identified.
An Office for Victims of Crime has been
created, offering technical, medical, psychological and economic support to
victims as well as legal support and supervision regarding penal processes to
help families in looking for missing relatives, amongst other things.
While these types of violent events have been
widely publicised, media coverage, however, has often failed to provide a real
context of events. Mexico remains a country where it is safe to invest and
where there are very good business opportunities.
With
a tourism revenue of US$20 billion on the back of 49 million visitors, what has
your country done to make itself more attractive and what is the scope for
co-operation in this field?
The President declared 2011 the Year of
Tourism. The number of tourists visiting Mexico plays an integral part in job
creation, the country's Gross Domestic Product, foreign exchange earnings and
the promotion of our roots as well as our natural and cultural diversity.
The Mexican Government plans to promote the
country as one of the top five destinations in the world based on its natural
resources and cultural heritage. Viet Nam without any doubt has the potential
and the privilege of sharing these factors.
On 17 November 2006, Mexico and Viet Nam
signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Tourism Co-operation in Ha Noi, a tool
to enhance bilateral co-operation in this field. Mexico is willing to exchange
information and share its experience with Viet Nam in all sectors related to
tourism.
The
number of Mexican businesses investing in Viet Nam remains limited. What would
you say are the main reasons for this and the possibilities for improvement?
I think geographic distance and the lack of
information are two of the main reasons behind this. However, trade between
Mexico and Viet Nam has registered outstanding growth during the last decade.
From 2000-10, bilateral trade increased 24 times, with the possibility of
hitting $1000 million in 2011. Mexico wants to increase its bilateral commerce
and exports, including pork, chicken, beef and fruit, to Viet Nam.
There are many opportunities to intensify
trade and investment between our two countries. We are increasingly providing
information regarding investment opportunities in Viet Nam to our local
businessmen. Mexico has developed a stable market economy, ranked 14th in the
world and 2nd in Latin America.
In
2008, Mexico became the third largest producer of mobile phones and the largest
producer of smartphones in the world. What are your thoughts on Viet Nam's
communications technology market and opportunities for collaboration?
Viet Nam has experienced an explosion in its
communications technology market in the last few years, making an effort to
modernise its telecommunications system by using optical fibre for example. In
this regard, Mexico and Viet Nam could share information on techniques and the
development of networks using these types of material, as well as experience in
training centres that support development. There are potential areas to enhance
bilateral co-operation by exchanging software applications focused on
electronic entertainment, value-added services on the Internet and mobile
networks.
Mexican
cuisine is known for its intense and varied flavours, colourful decoration, and
variety of spices. How do you find Vietnamese food?
Mexican cuisine has been declared an
Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in November 2010. Culinary
experts say that people often fail to appreciate the richness and diversity of
Mexican cuisine.
There exists a misconception that Mexican food
is made up of only burritos and tacos covered in unhealthy cheese, which is one
of the reasons the Embassy of Mexico plans to host a Mexican Food Festival in
Ha Noi during the first week of November 2011.
I love Vietnamese cuisine, which in similar
fashion to Mexican food, is becoming increasingly famous around the world. It
uses a variety of vegetables, herbs and meat that reflect its geography and
climate while often being considered as one of the healthiest food types in the
world. I especially love Vietnamese fish and seafood dishes.
What
would you say is the most unique cultural characteristic of Mexico?
Opinion Desk
Viet Nam News
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