'Chinese' tequila worries Mexico

Mexican politicians are demanding action to protect the tequila industry from Chinese competition.

The lower house of Congress voted to urge the government to stop Chinese firms patenting maguey - a type of agave cactus used in tequila.

MPs are also worried that Chinese and Japanese firms could target the market in another cactus species, nopal.

Nopal leaves are increasingly popular in the US, where there is already strong demand for tequila.

"Nopal and Maguey are Mexican plants and if we don't take the necessary measures in time, we run the risk of losing the denomination of origin", Cesar Duarte, the deputy who sponsored the move, told the Efe news agency.