Portes: Revista mexicana de estudios sobre la Cuenca del Pacífico (Sep 2017)
The Philippines: A Gateway for Mexico in Southeast Asia
Abstract
The historical development of relations between Mexico and Philippines since the 16th century represents one of the most significant forms of globalization in the Pacific Rim in contemporary world history. The conquest of the Philippines by Spain and consequently the importance of the trade and goods exchange between Europe and the Asian archipelago through Mexico with the Manila-Acapulco Galleon, carried a strong cultural and religious heritage to the Philippines that remains to this day. Over the years, the transcendence of the Mexican-Filipino contacts has become increasingly relevant due to its geo-strategic location of both nations in the international scene. Mexico, a close neighbor of the United States, is the natural bridge to Europe and also to Latin America and the Caribbean, while the Philippines is a key player in the Asia-Pacific region, based on its leadership in Southeast Asia and its proximity with the People’s Republic of China, in addition to having been a traditional ally of the US in the Pacific basin. The future of the political, economic-trade relations, and the cultural and scientific-technical cooperation between Mexico and the Philippines are projected as an excellent alternative of diversification and strengthening of the presence for Mexican products in Asia, where the Philippines could be an excellent partner not only on a bilateral level, but also as a platform to reposition Mexico with the ASEAN nations, facing the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the ambitious Chinese cooperation initiative "Belt and Road" with all the world, and the need to have new markets for our products.
