Oscar Arias Chums It Up
With China's Hu Jintao
Costa Rican president,
Oscar Arias Sanchez and
his Chinese counterpart,
Hu Jintao, on Wednesday
agreed to develop a
lasting, steady, healthy
and deep bilateral
relationship of
friendship and
cooperation.
The two presidents
reached "broad
consensus" on developing
such a relationship
during their hour-long
talk at the Great Hall
of the People in
Beijing, according to
the Chinese Foreign
Ministry.
Hu spoke highly of
Arias's "important
contribution" to the
establishment of
diplomatic ties between
China and Costa Rica,
which took place on June
1 this year, saying the
establishment of such
ties had "opened a new
chapter for bilateral
relations".
Hu expressed his
appreciation for Costa
Rica's adherence to the
one-China policy.
He proposed four aspects
of measures to
strengthen China-Costa
Rica friendship,
including strengthening
friendly exchanges of
high-level leaders,
governmental
departments, legislative
bodies and political
parties, expanding
economic and trade
cooperation, increasing
exchanges of personnel
on culture and
education, and
maintaining coordination
in international and
regional organizations.
Hu promised that China
is willing to import
more products from Costa
Rica and encourage
Chinese enterprises to
give priority to Costa
Rica when considering
places for investment,
adding China also
welcomes Costa Rican
enterprises to develop
market in China.
Agreeing with Hu's
proposals, Arias said it
is important for Costa
Rica to develop economic
and trade cooperation
with China. He expressed
his thanks to the
Chinese government for
providing help and his
hope that more Chinese
enterprises will invest
in Costa Rica.
Arias stressed that
Costa Rica adheres to
the one-China policy and
opposes Taiwan to "join
in" the United Nations,
saying the "referendum"
on UN entry, pushed by
the Taiwan authorities,
is of great danger and
doomed to fail.
He said Costa Rica is
proud to be the first
country in Central
America to establish
diplomatic relations
with China and facts
have proved that it is a
correct decision and
will bring about
important opportunities
for the development of
Costa Rica.
After the talks, the two
leaders attended the
signing ceremony of
cooperation agreements
covering technologies,
investment, culture,
public health and
agriculture. |
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