by Edna Alcantara
MEXICO CITY, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Unlike those idle youth often depicted in Latin American movies, 27-year-old Mexican researcher Lila Abed has long plans for her future.
Impressed by China's development, the young Mexican scholar of international affairs told Xinhua in a recent interview that she has decided to focus her academic career on studying Mexico-China relations and contribute to closer ties between the two countries.
Keeping a keen interest in China's culture and language, Abed speaks and writes Mandarin, which allows her a better understanding of the Asian country.
Graduated from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service of Georgetown University in Washington, Abed became a member of the youth wing of the Revolutionary Institutional Party (PRI), which is Mexico's largest party with decades-long ruling experiences.
This allowed her to engage in exchanges between the PRI of Mexico and the Communist Party of China (CPC), which took her to Beijing as a visiting scholar at the CPC's "training schools of cadres, to see how (China) trains young leaders."
Asked about her impression of the CPC, Abed said she sees that the CPC's political strength comes from the understanding that "reform is a constant process."
"(The CPC leaders) do not abandon their principles, they are in constant reform...That is why its members and the Chinese citizens continue to believe in the country's political system and always look to the future," she explained.
Besides China's development, the young scholar was also impressed by the country's resolve to rid corruption. The good practices by China in terms of public policy offer a great lesson for many other nations, she said.
Tasked to lead a study by the London School of Economics on Mexico-China cooperation in various fields, Abed said the research is not just about Mexico, but for many other countries in the region.
Mexico needs to "explore new avenues of cooperation" and meet other partners other than the United States, said Abed.
Expressing belief that the Mexico-China ties will go stronger, Abed said she will do her part for the growth of bilateral relations.
