Chinese dancers perform during the inauguration of the new national stadium in San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, March 26, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]

SAN JOSE - Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla has expressed her country's willingness to expand cooperation with China.

To that end, Costa Rica will accelerate its review of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with China, said Chinchilla when meeting with Chen Changzhi, special envoy of Chinese President Hu Jintao on Friday.

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Chinese and Costa Rican economies are highly complementary, with great potential for cooperation, Chinchilla told Chen, who is also vice chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress.

Chinchilla stressed that Costa Rica attaches great importance to its ties with China and will stick to the one-China policy.

She also praised China's assistance in helping Costa Rica build the new Costa Rican National Stadium, saying it is a mark of friendship between the two countries.

Chen, who is visiting the Central American country from March 24 to 27, said that the relationship between China and Costa Rica has been developing well since the two countries established diplomatic ties nearly four years ago.

Both countries have conducted frequent exchanges of high-level visits and bilateral economic and trade cooperation is constantly expanding, Chen said, citing Costa Rica's new National Stadium as a good example of bilateral cooperation in the field of construction engineering.

Chen also noted that China and Costa Rica understand each other and coordinate closely on major international and regional issues, adding that China is willing to continue working together with Costa Rica to further strengthen bilateral cooperation of mutual benefit in various fields and promote the sound development of friendship between the two countries.

After their meeting, Chinchilla and Chen attended a ceremony for signing the certificate for handing over the new Costa Rican National Stadium as well as other documents on technical and economic cooperation  between the two countries.

(L-R) China's National People's Congress Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee Chen Changzhi, Costa Rica's President Laura Chinchilla, and Costa Rica's former president Oscar Arias react after the ribbon-cutting ceremony to inaugurate the new national stadium in San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, March 26, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]