The Electronic World Trade Platform, an initiative to promote inclusive global trade and the digital economy, has officially set foot in Latin America by launching its first partnership in Mexico. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Electronic World Trade Platform, an initiative to promote inclusive global trade and the digital economy, has officially set foot in Latin America by launching its first partnership in Mexico.

The platform, initiated by e-commerce giant Alibaba in 2016, signed an agreement with the Mexican Governors Conference earlier in May, under which the duo pledged to nurture local talents and support the digital transformation of Mexican small businesses, according to a press release from the company.

Through providing actionable guidance and training, the partnership will help Mexican enterprises expand their business online through digital transformation and will support SMEs to get better access and more opportunity to participate in the global digital market.

The pair has a track record of fostering local talents and empowering local businesses with digitalization expertise. For instance, the pair launched a Mexican Digital Village Project in 2020, helping nearly 1,500 enterprises transform their businesses. The renovated shops are equipped with digital stores, payment solutions and smart logistics.

According to data from the Mexican Association of Online Sales, e-commerce in Mexico has increased by 27 percent in 2021, its third consecutive year of growth. This placed the country in the top five globally, along with India, Brazil, Russia and Argentina, in terms of year-to-year e-commerce growth.