As early as 168 years ago, the first batch of Chinese set foot on this land. The establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Colombia in 2007 ushered in a new era of friendly relations between the two countries. In May 2013, President Xi Jinping visited Latin America and came to Costa Rica, opening a new chapter in the friendship and cooperation between the two countries. Today, apart from coffee, Costa Rican pork, dairy products, pineapples and other high-quality products have also entered thousands of households in China. Costa Rica is the first country in Central America to establish diplomatic relations with China in the new century.

Costa Rica is one of the few countries in Latin America in the Western Hemisphere and the Western world that is open to the world. We're negotiating a trade deal with Ecuador, we're applying for Costa Rica to join the CPP so that we can be a bridge, with the 11 countries of the CPT, with the The Trans-Pacific Alliance together leads to international free trade. We have signed a free trade agreement with China. what does that mean? This means that we want to bring Costa Rican talents and products to the world. We also want to attract the world to Costa Rica. Technology, investment, foreign direct investment, investment in products and services with high added value. Where is the world economy growing fastest? in the east. For demographic reasons, for investment reasons, it's obvious. That's not to say we're giving up on countries with which we already have longstanding trade relationships. But we want to be open to the world, and the world is open to us.

China and Costa Rica also signed a memorandum of understanding on jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative. The two sides can develop more cooperation in the future.

Chavez: This is exactly what we want to discuss with the Chinese government, and in a mature fashion. For example, what investments are we interested in? Where is China interested in us in terms of One Belt One Road? This is beneficial to both parties, and even more beneficial.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2007, the exchanges between the two countries have created many firsts: Costa Rica is not only the first Central American country to establish diplomatic relations with China in the new century, but also the first Central American country to establish a strategic partnership with China, and the first to sign a strategic partnership with China. A package of free trade agreements for Central American countries. In September 2018, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative. In December 2019, the Costa Rican government legally designated the first day of the first month of the lunar calendar as the Chinese Culture Day, setting a precedent for the establishment of a Chinese Culture Day in the form of legislation in Latin America.Editor/Ma Xue