Diplomatic Relations
With China to Boost
Costa Rica's Economy
The establishment of
diplomatic relations
between Costa Rica and
the People's Republic of
China offers
opportunities to boost
trade and for Chinese
companies to use Costa
Rica as their base of
operations, former
president of the Banco
Central de Costa Rica (BCCR)
- Central Bank -
Eduardo Lizano said on
Tuesday.
Lizano was attending a
conference on the impact
of the development of
China's economy on Costa
Rica.
Lizano said China's
economic growth had been
very high for the past
20 years and the country
had transformed itself
into a "world economic
power, whose economy
could be larger than
Germany's this year to
reach third place world
wide, behind only the
United Stats and Japan".
"Costa Rica's
participation in
international economy
production chains and in
the growth of China
represents a major
opportunity," he added.
"The flow of trade would
increase from China to
Costa Rica and from
Costa Rica to other
nations, especially the
United States, above all
if we can pass a free
trade agreement," Lizano
said.
China is Costa Rica's
second largest trade
partner. Costa Rica
sales to China were 1.08
billion U.S. dollars in
2006 and reached 628
million dollars in the
first half of 2007.
"China's expansion will
allow Costa Rica to have
better supplies of
overseas goods and
services, obliging local
producers to compete in
some important fields,"
he said.
Costa Rica's Foreign
Minister Bruno Stagno,
told the same forum that
establishing relations
with China, on June 1,
is part of a process of
seeking competition,
creating larger markets
and stronger
relationships with the
world, especially Asian
nations.
He said that he was sure
that normalizing
relations with China was
the right decision.
"Most likely the 21st
century will be Asia's
century," Stagno said,
"it would be sad if
Costa Rica were not
present... an active
participant." |
|
