The Costa Rica News (TCRN) – Costa Rica and China first officially established diplomatic ties in 2007 and their relationship has been developing exponentially ever since. Costa Rica is the only Central American country with which China has official diplomatic ties. As a result, bilateral trade grew to $5.3 billion USD last year, a 145 percent increase since 2006.
Chinese President Xi Jinping made a state visit to Costa Rica in June 2013 and then Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solis visited Beijing in January 2015, signaling mutual cooperation in bilateral relations.
In January 2015, three agreements were signed between President Xi Jinping and Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solis, dealing with economic and technological cooperation, food inspection and quarantine and the development of a joint economic zone.
At that time both sides agreed to also formulate a 2016 – 2020 cooperation plan, in infrastructure, agriculture, digital television/media, mobile technology and clean/renewable energy.
This week, a jointly organized event in San Jose by Chinese Embassy in conjunction with the Costa Rican Association of Friendship, continued to build on this developing relationship. At the event Sergio Alfaro, a minister of the Costa Rican administration, met with the Chinese Ambassador to Costa Rica, Song Yanbin, to forward the momentum between the two countries.
Ambassador Song expressed his optimism saying bilateral trade has been greatly boosted since 2011 when the free trade agreement between China and Costa Rica went into full effect.
According to the Chinese Ambassador, China and Costa Rica have been working together on a number of projects, such as the new National Police Academy as well as public work projects renovating the highways connecting San Jose and the Caribbean coast.
The event, celebrating eight years of diplomatic relationship between the two countries, also discussed furthering a strategic alliance of cooperation and development based on the following focus points: , infrastructure, finance, territorial development, trade and investment, public security, social promotion, environment and energy.
The Costa Rica News (TCRN)
San Jose, Costa Rica