Rosento Valles Costas, president of the Mexican Textile Industry Chamber, has criticised China for using unfair labour conditions to succeed against worldwide competition. Simultaneously, he has urged Mexican president Vicente Fox to reduce electricity rates and crack down on contraband goods to assist the shrinking textile industry at home.
He has accused China of exploiting workers in subhuman conditions, citing examples such as seven day working weeks, more than eight hour days, sleeping on factory floors and the lack of medical services or pension provisions.
These comments coincided with a three-day visit of Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong to Mexico to discuss investment opportunities between the two countries, which ended in the signing of agreements on tourism and agriculture.
In August 2004 Mexican ministers travelled to China where both sides agreed to promote agricultural trade and review health regulations in order to free up the movement of several farming products. Mexico is China’s second-largest trading partner in Latin America.
