It's Crucial to Maintain a Strong Relationship With Mexico

With tremendous pride and honor I travel to Mexico this week to deliver a simple message: there is no stronger partnership than the one between Texas and Mexico.Through challenging times and fluctuations in the global economy, the relationship between Texas and Mexico has remained resilient, bringing prosperity to both our peoples and fostering hope for an even brighter future. For more than a century, our relationship has matured, allowing our leaders to find common ground to advance the common good.I am confident tha the Lone Star State's relationship with Mexico will remain on solid footing and continue to grow even stronger.As Mexico's No. 1 trade partner, Texas sends more than a third of all its exports Mexico, more than three times as much as the next export destination, according to the Texas Economic Development Corp. Likewise, more exports from Mexico arrive in Texas than from any other nation, according to the Census Bureau, more than the next five nations combined. Altogether, the trade relationship between Texas and Mexico is worth nearly $200 billion each year and creates hundreds of thousands of jobs for Texans. Our close partnerships in cross-border trade are a force-multiplier for our mutual economic success.But it's not just the fact that we share 28 border crossings or more miles of our border than any other border state in the U.S.; we are inextricably bound by robust commerce, vibrant culture, family, and shared values.I myself am a product of the border. Growing up in Juárez and El Paso, my formative years were shaped by the opportunities that strong cross-border cooperation brings to our people. In fostering meaningful dialogue on education, infrastructure, business and energy, we strengthen the binational communities that have yielded tremendous economic growth throughout the border region and beyond.Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to develop extensive cross-border dialogue with leaders in industry and government to facilitate cooperative relationships. It is crucial that we continue to combine the extensive resources and innovative thinking on both sides of the border to address today's most complex challenges.One such challenge is ensuring that we maintain a secure and lawful flow of legitimate trade. Border security and economic security go hand-in-hand, and we must continually work to improve security in both realms to advance strong and healthy commercial exchange. Leaders in both Texas and Mexico recognize the importance of achieving safety and security while continuing to promote economic development. By engaging with one another, we can better understand the needs of law enforcement both north and south of the border to ensure stability and prosperity in communities that rely on a robust exchange of goods and people.Perhaps most importantly, however, is recognizing that our shared goal of mutual prosperity must continue to be our top priority. Simply put: when the Texas-Mexico relationship flourishes, so do our economies.Times of rapid change are bound to create uncertainty. But what is certain is that the values and foundation upon which our relationship is built will serve as our guide as we enter a new era.Rolando Pablos is the Texas Secretary of State. Website: sos.state.tx.us  Continue reading...