Mexico, China to Expand Cooperation in AI and Supercomputing

Mexico and China signed a memorandum of understanding to expand bilateral scientific and technological cooperation, with priorities including AI, supercomputing, robotics, electromobility, talent development, and technology transfer.

Mexico and China are opening a new stage of scientific and technological cooperation, placing AI, supercomputing, robotics, electromobility, and technology transfer at the center of a bilateral agenda that increasingly connects government, academia, and industry. The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on scientific, technological and innovation cooperation during the ninth meeting of the Subcommission on Science and Technology of the Permanent Mexico-China Binational Commission.

The meeting was led by Rosaura Ruiz, Minister of Science, Humanities, Technology, and Innovation of Mexico (SECIHTI), and Yin Hejun, China’s Minister of Science and Technology. It marked the first participation of a Chinese science and technology minister in the bilateral mechanism since its creation in 2004.

For Mexico, the agreement creates a framework to expand cooperation with China in areas that are becoming central to national technology development, including high-performance computing infrastructure, AI models, chip design and applied research. “We have a history of cooperation, but above all, we have a vision for the future,” says Ruiz.

Ruiz also notes that another objective between countries is to translate the bilateral relationship into joint projects, student and researcher mobility, knowledge exchange, and the development of new scientific and technological capabilities.

From Bilateral Ties to Tech Cooperation

Mexico and China established diplomatic relations on Feb. 14, 1972. The relationship was elevated to a Strategic Partnership in 2003 and to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2013, creating a broader framework for political, economic, scientific, and technological cooperation.

The Permanent Mexico-China Binational Commission, established in 2004, became a central mechanism for coordinating bilateral exchanges and monitoring joint initiatives.

Scientific cooperation has expanded across areas including hydropower, pest, and disease prevention and biodiversity protection. More recently, both governments have identified technology, energy, and health as areas where deeper cooperation could address shared challenges.

The latest meeting places AI and advanced computing within that broader relationship. Ruiz says Mexico seeks to benefit from China’s experience in mathematics, AI, and its applications, as well as from the connection between scientific research, technological development, and industrial activity.

Mexico presented several strategic projects that could provide areas for cooperation. Among them are the National High-Performance Computing and AI Cluster and Coatlicue, two strategic computing infrastructure intended to expand national capabilities for AI models, scientific simulations, and large-scale data analysis. The government also presented projects involving electromobility, chip design, meteoceanic monitoring, satellite monitoring of the Gulf of Mexico, agriculture, water, and energy.

For companies, these areas connect scientific cooperation with infrastructure and applied technology, particularly through the MoU provisions covering digital infrastructure, public-private partnerships, and advanced technology transfer.

MoU Expands Academic and Technology Links

The agreement signed by Mexico and China provides for broader cooperation between higher education institutions and companies in research, technological development, and innovation. The framework also includes conferences, workshops, and forums; exchanges of knowledge and experience on public policy and regulatory frameworks; training; joint government financing mechanisms; academic and researcher exchanges; and technology transfer.

Public-private partnerships for digital infrastructure and technological innovation are another component of the agreement. The structure gives the cooperation a broader scope than academic exchange alone. It links research institutions, universities, companies, and government agencies around technology development and infrastructure.

Yin says scientific and technological cooperation is a fundamental component of the relationship between the two countries and can contribute to socioeconomic development while addressing global challenges. He also points to the technology and digital divide, energy requirements, and health needs as areas where deeper cooperation could be pursued.

The meeting brought together Mexican representatives from science and technology institutions as well as officials linked to agriculture and rural development, environment, energy and foreign affairs. Representatives from PEMEX, the National Water Commission (CONAGUA), and the Olinia project also participated.

The Chinese delegation included representatives from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and universities and research institutions, including Dongguan University of Technology.

Mexico Expands its Institutional Presence in China

The scientific agreement comes as Mexico strengthens its institutional presence in China. On Sept. 7, Minister of Foreign Affairs Roberto Velasco inaugurated Mexico’s consulate in Chongqing, with Chinese officials and representatives of the Mexican government attending the ceremony.

Chongqing, in southwestern China, has more than 32 million inhabitants and is considered one of the country’s major industrial and technology centers. The new consulate will provide consular services to the Mexican community while supporting Mexico’s interests and its engagement with regional actors.

“This consulate will help strengthen bilateral relations and foster closer ties with stakeholders in the region,” Velasco says, describing Chongqing as representative of China’s industrial transformation, innovation and technological development.

The opening is significant for Mexico’s institutional footprint in China. It is the country’s first new consular representation there in two decades. Mexico also maintains its embassy in Beijing and consulates general in Guangzhou, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

The expansion of Mexico’s diplomatic presence provides an additional institutional channel for engagement with Chinese companies, universities, government institutions, and technology organizations outside Beijing and other established centers.

Technology Cooperation Extends Beyond AI

AI and supercomputing are part of a wider technology agenda between the two countries. In August 2026, Mexico’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development met with China’s ambassador to Mexico to discuss opportunities involving innovation, technology, sustainability, and agricultural development. The discussions included scientific and technological exchange, innovation in agricultural production, agroecology, industrial development, and new packaging technologies to improve export logistics.

The two sides also discussed shared fisheries research and food safety, with Mexico’s National Service for Agro-Alimentary Public Health, Safety, and Quality providing technical and regulatory support. China expressed interest in advancing cooperation and market access for products including rice and sorghum.

China ranked ninth among destinations for Mexican agrifood exports in 2025, with exports exceeding US$262.9 million, according to the Mexican government.

These initiatives illustrate how the bilateral technology agenda is extending into industrial and sector-specific applications. AI, advanced computing, and technology transfer are being discussed alongside agriculture, electromobility, energy, water, and environmental monitoring.

For Mexico, the challenge now shifts from establishing areas of cooperation to translating them into projects, research exchanges, and technological capabilities. Ruiz says one of the central objectives is to establish direct connections between the scientific communities of both countries. “Our goal is for more Mexicans and more Chinese to work together,” she says.

The MoU pretends to provide a framework for that connection, while Mexico’s strategic projects offer potential areas for implementation. Its success will depend on how effectively universities, research institutions, government agencies, and companies use the framework into real joint development.