On behalf of the United States, I convey my highest regards to the government and people of Mexico as our nations jointly celebrate 200 years of bilateral relations.
The U.S.-Mexico relationship is one of the world's most important, dynamic, and economically significant. Our countries share so much more than a border. With 200 years of bilateral relations, over 40 million U.S. citizens of Mexican heritage living in the United States, and millions of Americans living in and traveling to Mexico every year, our countries enjoy a unique shared history, heritage, and culture.
Our bicentennial inspires us to reflect on the many ways our two nations have come together. Our strong relationship today is a testament to our democratic values and portends a future of peace, security, and prosperity in the Americas. As we celebrate 200 years of bilateral relations, we can look back on a progression in which our countries have together grown stronger, more secure, and more prosperous.
Through diplomacy and dialogue, we have improved our understanding of our shared security challenges, and we have modernized our security partnership through the Bicentennial Framework for Security, Public Health, and Safe Communities to ensure we face those challenges together.
Today we work side-by-side as equal partners to confront the challenges of our times and to strengthen North America's position as an economic powerhouse. Through the High-Level Economic Dialogue, the High-Level Security Dialogue, the North American Leaders' Summit, and countless local and national interactions, the United States and Mexico work hand in hand to advance our shared interests. We have unlocked opportunity in both countries, as we have seen U.S.-Mexico total trade in goods more than triple since 1999.
Today is a celebration of our bilateral relations, and we acknowledge our relationship is much richer than that. It goes far beyond federal, state, and local government-to-government interactions. The people of Mexico and the United States comprise the heart of our relationship. The cultural, familial, and economic ties forged between our two peoples, with centuries of shared history, ensure that our two nations will remain intricately connected for generations to come.
As we celebrate 200 years of bilateral relations, I reaffirm our strong commitment to working together as equal and sovereign partners towards a future of peace, security, and prosperity in the Americas.
