Arias To Ask China For
us$50 Million
The price tag for China
establishing relations
with Costa Rica may be
as high as us$50 million
dollars to start, as
Costa Rican president,
Oscar Arias, is getting
ready to ask its new
trading partner for
financial help destined
for 81 municipalities.
Arias explained that
China's support will be
similar to that given by
Taiwan, where the
cooperation will help
Costa Rica continue with
a number of social
projects and
infrastructure.
Costa Rica on June 1
broke off a 63 year
relationship with Taiwan
in favour of China.
The announcement by
Arias was made during a
tour of Puerto Jiménez
explaining that the
financial help by China
will allow the
municipalities to
promote development of
their communities, so
that things like road
paving won't take so
long, and improve and
strengthen municipal
services and quality of
attention to the
residents.
Arias recognized that in
Puerto Jiménez, like the
many other communities
in the Southern Zone,
the roads were built
more than two decades
ago, when Arias was then
president, and many need
repairs and improvement.
"The road is the same of
20 years ago, without
any investment in
maintenance or repairs",
said Arias.
Wang Xiaoyuan, the
Chinese diplomat in
charge of China's
business affairs in
Costa Rica, said that
his country won't skimp
on the support for Costa
Rica. Wang Xiaoyuan is
expected to be named
China's ambassador to
Costa Rica.
The break with Taiwan
has left a number of
projects and communities
hanging as the multi
million dollar donations
by the Taiwanese left
the country after the
breaking of diplomatic
ties.
Projects like the
reconstruction of the
Hospital Calderón
Guardia, the highway to
San Carlos and the
eradication of slums in
Pavas were examples of
projects financed by the
government of Taiwan.
The ministro de Vivienda,
Fernando Zumbado, said
recently that the
government can fill the
financial void of those
projects, but will need
the support of China for
others.
Arias said that in the
coming weeks China is
expected to fund some
projects including the
aforementioned.
However, the president
did not say when he
would be formally asking
China for the us$50
million or when it can
be expected to be
received, saying only
that it could be a
reality in the coming
year.
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