Bilateral ties benefit Costa Rica, China

Costa Rica has enjoyed and benefited from its cooperation with China since bilateral ties were established just five years ago, Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla Miranda said on Aug 15.

Chinchilla made the remarks as she kicked off her four-day stay in the Chinese capital. She will fly to Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province, on Aug 18.

"Both countries have benefited a lot (from the ties) in the past five years," Chinchilla told China Daily when talking with reporters on the sidelines of a trade promotion forum.

Costa Rica has sent a variety of products into the Chinese market and seen expanded investment and technology cooperation, she said.

The Central American country also hopes to expand cooperation with China on clean energy, oil, investment, and trade and tourism, the president said.

Her country, which has signed a free trade agreement with China, could be a logistics platform in the Western Hemisphere for Chinese companies, she added.

She also considered introducing a park similar to the Suzhou Industrial Park, a project jointly developed by the Chinese and Singapore governments since 1994, as well as parts of China’s education system into Costa Rica.

Many students from Costa Rica have received scholarships from the Chinese government to learn in the Chinese capital, while teaching centers for the Chinese language have been set up in Costa Rica.

"Unlike other nations, I see many opportunities in China that will benefit our country," she said.

Chinchilla is on her first visit to China as president since taking office in 2010. She is scheduled to meet President Hu Jintao and other Chinese leaders on Aug 16 and Aug 17.