China and Mexico have committed to strengthen their ties during a meeting between their top diplomats on Sunday (Dec. 11), as they prepare for US President-elect Donald Trump to test Washington's relationship with them.

Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi reportedly met with Mexican Foreign Minister Claudia Ruiz Massieu to tackle trade and investment ties as well as improvement of flight connectivity between the two nations, according to the International Business Times.

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"They agreed to deepen mutual trust and develop the bilateral dialogue about subjects of mutual interest via the Mexico-China Strategic Dialogue," Mexico's Foreign Ministry said in a statement, without giving any further specific details.

Mexico has reportedly been looking for ways to lessen its dependence on the US after Trump vowed to keep American jobs from moving out of the country. Such move would constrain Mexico's access to its leading trade partner, the Newsline noted.

On the other hand, China also released a statement describing China's relationship with Mexico as "flourishing," adding that it aims to deepen its cooperation in the sectors of trade, investment, resources, infrastructure, and financial services, according to CNBC.

Furthermore, China and Mexico's relationship appeared to cool down after President Enrique Pena Nieto rejected several rail and retail projects that were supposed to herald a new era of business between the manufacturing counterparts.

However, Mexico granted China's Offshore Oil Corporation two deepwater oil blocks in a historic auction last week as part of the country's energy reform.

Evan Ellis, a research professor at the US Army War College, said that the China-Mexico relationship is back again, adding that "The election of President Trump and the associated threat to NAFTA probably was one driver for (Pena Nieto) to position Mexico to diversify its foreign economic engagements."

TagsMexico China Relations, Mexico China trade agreement, Trump Mexico China