COSTA RICA: Chinese ambassador presents credentials to Costa Rican President

The first Chinese ambassador assigned to Costa Rica, Wang Xiaoyuan, presents his diplomatic credentials to the President of Costa Rica Oscar Arias. The first Chinese ambassador to Costa Rica, Wang Xiaoyuan, presented his credentials to Costa Rican President Oscar Arias at the presidential palace in the capital city of San Jose, marking his diplomatic assignment to the post of ambassador on Wednesday (August 16). Wang Xiaoyuan has represented the Chinese ministry of foreign affairs since 1975 in several countries such as Mexico, Cuba, Spain, Brazil, Equatorial Guinea and Uruguay. In June, Costa Rica-- once loyal to Taipei-- cut ties with Taiwan after 63 years and set up relations with China. The switch cut Taiwan's diplomatic allies to 24, mostly small countries in poor regions, compared to China's 170. Beijing, which has considered Taiwan as part of their territory since the end of the Chinese civil war 1949, seeks to isolate Taiwan internationally and pressure it into reunification. Both countries look to benefit from this relation. "But if this moratorium is lifted, China will surely support the candidacy of Costa Rica to become an APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) member," said Chinese Ambassador Xiaoyuan. China has recently announced that it will make a donation of 50 million dollars to Costa Rica in order to improve infrastructure and aid construction work. The money will be allocated to the 2008 budget. Investments in the country are well-received. "We are too modest to think of investing in China, but China is such a prosperous country with a huge growth rate that we may greatly benefit from the investments they make here," said Costa Rican President Oscar Arias. China also said that it will support Costa Rica's candidacy to the UN's Security Council. "Yes, the Costa Rican candidacy to the Security Council will also receive support, support from China," said Xiaoyuan. In the last decade, commerce between Costa Rica and China has flourished and in 2006, Costa Rica sold $1 billion dollars worth of goods to China and bought $618 million dollars worth. Around 86.2 percent of exported goods were microprocessors.

ITN Source | August 17, 2007

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