Mexiko je třetí největší ekonomikou na americkém kontinentu. Mexický trh je nejen bránou pro vstup do dalších latinskoamerických zemí ale i do USA. Čeští nanotechnologové se zúčastnili v dubnu 2024 technologické mise v Mexiku, aby hledali možnosti navázání spolupráce v pokročilých materiálech a technologiích .

The technology mission took place as one of the projects supporting economic diplomacy, organised in cooperation with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Mexico and the CzechTrade foreign office in Mexico. Seven Czech institutions and companies joined the mission, among them CEITEC, the Central Bohemian Innovation Centre, BIOCEV, VŠB – Technical University of Ostrava, the Czech Nanotechnology Industries Association, SVCS, Monet+ and, on site, representatives of MMCITÉ, which is already established in Mexico.

The aim of the mission was not only to deepen existing cooperation but also to find new opportunities. Discussions with partners in Mexico also touched on the possibilities of exchanging students and researchers. The technology mission, which followed on from previous projects – the technology mission in 2019 and the incoming mission of representatives of the State of Jalisco in 2022 – was led by Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Edvard Kožušník. Its main focus was on fields such as nanotechnology, biotechnology, information and communication technologies and advanced materials.

During the first two days of the mission, the Czech delegation visited the capital, Mexico City, where it toured the facilities of the prestigious Tec de Monterrey university and the National Polytechnic Institute, with which it discussed opportunities for cooperation. The Czech delegation also discussed topics such as support for cooperation in science and research and the exchange of students and researchers with the Mexico City Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Jesús Ofelia Angulo Guerrero.

In Mexico City, Deputy Minister Kožušník also held talks with Deputy Minister of the Economy Alejandro Encinas Nájera. The meeting was also attended by the Chairman of the Czech Nanotechnology Industries Association, Jiří Kůs. The main topics of the discussion were the development of Czech-Mexican economic relations, support for projects of Czech companies and the completion of the modernisation of the so-called Global Agreement between the EU and Mexico, which should further facilitate economic relations.

The mission then moved on to Guadalajara, the capital of the State of Jalisco. Here the fourth Innovation Day took place, during which the Czech participants not only presented themselves but also discussed opportunities for developing further cooperation with their Mexican counterparts.

The Czech delegation also held talks with the Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology of the State of Jalisco, Alfonso Pompa Padilla and visited the Centre for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute – CINVESTAV Guadalajara, the Jesuit University in Guadalajara – ITESO, the Transdisciplinary Institute for Research and Services of the University of Guadalajara – ITRANS, the Intel Guadalajara branch, the Centre for Research and Assistance in Technology and Design – CIATEJ and the Tec de Monterrey campus in Guadalajara. Deputy Minister Kožušník also supported the projects of Czech companies in talks with representatives of the State of Jalisco’s Ministry of Transport. The Ministry of Industry and Trade has been developing relations with Jalisco over the long term, with the first official contact taking place back in 2015. Since then, economic ties have developed very well, and a number of Czech companies have already settled precisely in this state. The street furniture manufacturer MMCITÉ launched its production here. Škoda Electric established cooperation with its Mexican partner Dina. Other companies present include ZETOR, Vocalls ai and many more.

Mexico is the Czech Republic’s most important partner in Latin America. The Czech Republic’s trade turnover with this country amounts to 53% of total turnover with the Latin American region (representing USD 2.3 billion) and 56% of Czech exports to Latin America. Mexico is also the Czech Republic’s second most important trading partner on the American continent, and the value of Czech exports to the country exceeded USD 1 billion last year, double the figure for 2016. Trade between the two countries shows a constantly growing trend and is characterised by the fact that industrial products predominate in trade flows in both directions. The Czech and Mexican economies are in many respects complementary, particularly when it comes to key sectors, including the automotive industry, energy, mining, the defence and aerospace sectors and engineering. The Czech Republic shares a number of values and priorities with Mexico; in addition to supporting innovation, these include, for example, a liberal approach to trade and an awareness of the need to diversify trade, given that both countries are economically very strongly tied to their neighbours (83% of Mexican exports now go to the USA, while the dependence of the Czech economy on Germany and other EU markets is very well known).

Cooperation is gradually shifting towards high-tech fields and research and development, and is also taking place in the area of science and universities. These include, for example, cooperation between CIIRK and CINESTAV of the Mexican National Polytechnic Institute, between VŠB-TUO and the Mexican Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas and the Jesuit University in Guadalajara, while the Czech CEITEC (advanced materials) also has extensive contacts with Mexican partners. This cooperation focuses on the exchange of students and researchers; for example, Professor Sebastian Diaz de la Torre (National Polytechnic Institute) was awarded an honoris causa degree in the Czech Republic, and the cooperation between CEITEC and the IPN has already resulted in a patent. Thanks to the Central Bohemian Innovation Centre, a digital education method for secondary school teachers developed by Prof. Jorge Sanabria (Tec de Monterrey University, Guadalajara) was accredited in the Czech Republic. The technology mission produced a whole range of ideas for the further development of cooperation. One of them could be the use of Czech nanotechnology in the cosmetics industry, in which Mexico excels.

Source: https://www.mpo.gov.cz/cz/zahranicni-obchod/mezinarodni-obchod-dle-teritorii/severni-a-jizni-amerika-a-karibik/moderni-technologie-a-pokrocile-obory-novy-smer-cesko-mexicke-spoluprace–280766/

Photographs and videos from the mission: archive of the Czech Nanotechnology Industries Association