Politico (Opinion)
By Enrique Peña Nieto
January 6, 2015
The
United States and Mexico have enjoyed a unique and flourishing
relationship over the past decades. I am delighted to start 2015 by
visiting Washington, D.C., and embarking
on new ways in which Mexico and the United States can strengthen our
ties in order to make North America the most prosperous and competitive
region in the world.
Our
countries have an intense economic relationship that is spread over a
myriad of areas. Since the beginning of my administration, I have worked
with President Barack
Obama to create bilateral mechanisms that harness the full potential of
our relationship. We are already seeing concrete results from the High
Level Economic Dialogue (HLED), the Mexico-U.S. Bilateral Forum on
Higher Education, Innovation and Research (FOBESII),
the Mexico-U.S. Entrepreneurship and Innovation Council (MUSEIC) and
the 21st Century Border Action Plan of 2014.
We
are steadfast in our belief that the continuous promotion of bilateral
trade is a win-win situation for both our countries. Mexico is the third
largest trading partner
of the U.S., just behind China and Canada. Total bilateral trade
between us amounted to more than $500 billion during 2013. Our exports
to the U.S. have increased significantly since NAFTA entered into force,
with roughly 80 percent of them coming to this
country. Meanwhile, U.S. exports to Mexico in 2013 were $226 billion,
up 443 percent since 1993. In fact, Mexico buys more U.S. goods than all
of the BRICS combined—and nearly as much as the entire European Union.
Moreover, 5.9 million U.S. jobs depend on
trade with Mexico. Even Mexican exports benefit the American economy:
40 percent of the value of Mexican exports to the U.S. contains American
inputs. By 2020, Mexico will have the capacity to build one in every
four vehicles in North America, up from one
in six in 2012. Additionally, Mexico has begun to invest in high
technology exports; we have become the leading exporter of flat screen
televisions in the world, the fourth largest computer exporter and a
growing pioneer in the aerospace industry. We are interlinked.
To
ensure the prosperity of our border we have worked together to improve
security and facilitate trade. Every minute, nearly a million dollars
worth of products cross
our land border. Additionally, our countries have begun several
infrastructure projects to make the border region a catalyst for growth
and innovation. These projects include the San Diego-Tijuana airport
pedestrian bridge, the railway crossing at Matamoros-Brownsville,
and six new inspection booths at the Nogales port of entry. We have
also reduced average waiting times at the San Ysidro-Chaparral crossing
on the California-Baja California border from 3.5 hours to half-an-hour.
Our
commitment to education has allowed us to take advantage of the
synergies built through FOBESII and between our initiatives “Proyecta
100,000” and “100,000 Strong
in the Americas.” Last year, we launched the webpage Mobilitas, a
platform to help students find educational opportunities in both
countries. Furthermore, 23 cooperation agreements have been signed
between Mexican and American states and universities. Altogether,
we were able to reach our 2014 goal: 27,000 Mexican students are
attending almost 200 universities across the U.S.
The
United States and Mexico have recognized that the challenges and
opportunities we face on immigration should be addressed from a broad
regional perspective and based
upon the principle of shared responsibility. Consequently, we are
committed to working with our neighbors in Central America to foster
development and prosperity in that region.
Over
34 million people of Mexican origin live in the U.S., 22.9 million of
whom were born here. Mexican-Americans are socially and economically
active members of their
communities, and they maintain a strong binational identity. These
communities are pillars of the relationship between our countries and
will help us build a more prosperous shared future.
My
government applauds President Obama’s recently announced Immigration
Accountability Executive Action, which acknowledges the positive
economic and social impact of
Mexican immigrants to their communities in the U.S. Furthermore, these
measures will allow immigrants to increase their contributions to
American society and live without fear of being separated from their
families. My administration will continue to work
with the U.S. government by providing services and consular assistance
in order to improve the well-being of the Mexican community in this
country. In order to raise living standards in Mexico—which will
discourage undocumented immigration—my government has
embarked upon a transformational path. We have sought to enhance my
country’s competitiveness, strengthen the rights of the Mexican people
and consolidate our democracy.
Since
taking office, my administration has taken on the responsibility of
making structural change a reality. We have worked with Mexico’s
political leaders from the left,
right and center, in order to put Mexico on the path to modernization,
innovation and economic growth.
The
Mexican Congress approved eleven structural reforms in several key
sectors such as education, banking, telecommunications, justice,
electoral system, labor, energy,
economic competition and public finance. These reforms will better
prepare our citizens and businesses for the global challenges of the
21st century and enhance competitiveness in our region. The
implementation of these unprecedented changes is already taking
place and will make our partnership with the United States even
stronger.
In
accordance with these efforts, my government recognizes the need to
improve security conditions in Mexico. The tragic and despicable events
that took place last September
in Guerrero have been met by my government with decisive action: Over
70 individuals, including the masterminds, are already being prosecuted,
and I will continue to stress that there is no room for impunity. Last
November, I took steps to strengthen the rule
of law and to promote fundamental reforms in the realms of security,
law enforcement and criminal justice. We are focusing our efforts on
shoring up institutional strength at the local level to prevent these
types of events from ever being repeated.
The
United States and Mexico have worked together to deepen our ties and
diversify an agenda that reflects our strengths and common values.
Together, we must build a more
integrated, competitive and prosperous North America.
For more information, go to: www.beverlyhillsimmigrationlaw.com
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