Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto hosted an official dinner for Chancellor Angela Merkel in Mexico City on Friday, in the second stop of her Latin America trip to talk up free trade deals between the EU and the region.

Mexico is currently in talks with the European Union to finalise a new trade deal with the 28-national bloc that will cut tariffs on industrial goods. Both sides have eyed 2017 to finalise the arrangements.

The election of U.S. President Donald Trump has reinforced Mexico’s need to reduce its reliance on the U.S. market and export-oriented Germany has been touted as a natural partner for a more global Mexico.

With Germany set to host next month’s G20 summit, Merkel said Mexico and the EU nation can help promote shared interests on the international stage.

Germany has earned praise for taking in a reported one million refugees, many from Syria, into the country.

With migration a hot topic in North America under President Trump, and Mexico a transit country for Central Americans seeking the American dream, Merkel said the solution was to provide opportunity in countries people are emigrating from.

Merkel’s visit to Mexico coincides with final celebrations for the Mexico-Germany Dual Year, which has celebrated the cultural and economic relationship between the two allies.

Reuters