Cuba restarted payments to Mexican exporters in November after halting transfers for eight months of 2009, said Mexican officials who accompanied Foreign Minister Patricia Espinosa in her recent visit to the island.

Among other things, Espinosa and Raúl Castro discussed the bilateral debt and the next visit of President Felipe Calderón to Havana.

Mexico’s efforts to seek payments for its exporters are part of Calderón’s plan to boost trade with Cuba and to improve relations that were strained under former President Vicente Fox, said Rogelio Granguillhome, head of economic relations at Mexico’s Foreign Ministry.

Mexico exported $310 million in goods to Cuba in 2008, up from $190 million in 2007, making it Cuba’s 11th largest trade partner.