BEIJING, Sept. 11 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao starts a state visit to Mexico on Monday. The following are the major events in Sino-Mexican relations:

    China established diplomatic relations with Mexico on Feb. 14, 1972.

    Mexican President Luis Echeverria visited China in April 1973.

    Chinese Vice-Premier Zhu Rongji paid a visit to Mexico in May 1993 and Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari visited Beijing in November, the same year.

    China and Mexico inked agreement on establishment of a political consultation mechanism between their foreign ministries on Dec. 17, 1993.

    Chinese President Jiang Zemin visited Mexican City in November 1997.

    On Dec. 1, 1997, the two countries accorded agreement on mutualexemption of visas for diplomatic and service passports and agreement on academic exchanges between Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Mexican State Commission of Science.

    In September 2000, a large-scale cultural relic exhibition "China in Monarchal Period: Xi'an Dynasties" was held in dozens ofstates and cities in Mexico.

    In 2001, the Exhibition of Mayan Civilization was held in the four Chinese cities of Guangzhou, Xi'an, Beijing, and Shanghai.

    Mexican President Vincente Fox paid a visit to Beijing in June 2001.

    In September 2001, China and Mexico reached a bilateral agreement on China's accession to WTO.

    Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited Mexico at the invitation of the Mexican government in December 2003.

    In August 2004, China and Mexico signed a memorandum of understanding in Beijing and officially set up a permanent bi-national commission for closer bilateral relationship.

    In January 2005, Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong visited Mexico at the invitation of the Mexican government. Enditem