China has muscled its way into investment in Mexico by grabbing two deepwater oil blocks as part of an auction¹ considered the jewel in the crown of the country’s energy reform, in a move that boosts the two nations’ sometimes testy² economic ties.

中国强势参与对墨西哥的投资，在一次被视为墨能源改革“皇冠上的明珠”的招标中，中标两个深水石油区块。此举将对中墨两国偶尔不太稳定的经济关系起到促进作用。

It is the first test of investment appetite in Mexico since the election victory of Donald Trump³, who has blamed both countries for luring⁴ away US jobs. The result showed “Mexico is a very competitive country that attracts investment from all places,” said Pedro Joaquín Coldwell, energy secretary.

这是自唐纳德.特朗普(Donald Trump)胜选以来国际社会对墨投资兴趣受到的首次考验。墨西哥和中国都被特朗普指责抢走了美国的就业岗位。墨西哥能源部长佩德罗.华金.科尔德韦尔(Pedro Joaquín Coldwell)表示，招标结果表明“墨西哥是个很有竞争力的、吸引来各方投资的国家。”

Mr Joaquín Coldwell said the Mexican government was delighted China had come “to compete and win. If that contributes to opening a new chapter [in Sino-Mexican relations] that will be something else good to have come out of the energy reform”. Two years ago Mexico cancelled a $3.6bn high-speed rail contract won by a Chinese-led consortium, straining relations.

华金.科尔德韦尔表示，墨西哥政府乐见中国前来“竞标并获得胜利。如果这有助于开启（中墨关系的）新篇章，将是能源改革收获的额外好处。”两年前，墨西哥取消了一项由中资牵头的财团赢得的价值36亿美元的高铁合同，造成中墨两国关系紧张。

Duncan Wood, head of the Mexico Institute at the Wilson Center, said: “Up to now, China has not been a major player in Mexico and this is a sign that they really want to get involved here.”

威尔逊中心墨西哥研究所(Mexico Institute at the Wilson Center)所长邓肯.伍德(Duncan Wood)表示：“到目前为止，中国还不是墨西哥的主要投资者，这次的事情表明他们真的想参与进来。”

China’s Cnooc won two of the 10 blocks on offer, one of them just 6.5km from the maritime⁵ border with the US, with bids that far outstripped⁶ the minimum required. Cnooc’s first offer was nearly six times higher than the minimum required, and its second was almost as big.

中国海洋石油总公司(Cnooc)中标了此次招标的十个区块中的两个，其中一个距美墨海上边境只有6.5公里，其开价远远高于起拍价。中海油首个中标区块的中标价格是起拍价的六倍，第二个中标区块的情况也差不多。