Costa Rican presidential candidates stress ties with China

SAN JOSE: The Costa Rican main presidential candidates stressed on Sunday the benefits that their country has got after establishing diplomatic ties with China in 2007.

The three main candidates promised, as part of their campaigns, to expand the opportunities to strengthen their country's ties with China.

During an interview with Xinhua, Laura Chinchilla candidate of the National Liberation Party (PLN), Otton Solis of the Citizen Action Party (PAC) and Otto Guevara of the Libertarian Movement ( ML) stressed on Sunday the importance of Costa Rica's ties with China.

Chinchilla said that the general balance of the ties between her country and China is highly positive and they have brought a lot of benefits to Costa Rica, mainly for the solidarity that the Chinese government showed during the natural disasters suffered in this Central American country.

Chinchilla mentioned the donation of the new National Stadium made by China and the purchase of Costa Rican treasury bonds.

"However, the most important is the future that opening a market so big like the Chinese one represents to Costa Rica," Chinchilla said.

Chinchilla said that if she wins the elections, the ties of her government with China will be strengthened at trade and investment issues, and she will also seek a larger cultural, scientific and technological exchange.

Solis said that the ties between China and Costa Rica must boost the development of both countries and should be based on the values of transparency and mutual respect.

"From the first moment the PAC supported the establishment of ties with the People's Republic of China. We want a relation to be centered on agreements and to boost the cultural exchange. A relation where our commercial asymmetries are recognized and to promote the exchange of goods and services," Solis said.

Meanwhile, Guevara said that the ties with China have been very productive since June 2007, and they can grow even more on issues like cooperation and investment attraction.

Guevara said that if he wins the elections on Sunday, he will make Costa Rica more attractive to Chinese investors.

Guevara said that still there are migratory obstacles for the Chinese investors to come to Costa Rica, which according to him is unacceptable.

The three main candidates said that the decision of the current government shows a political realism, so the ties with China must be cultivated.

On Sunday, Costa Rica held general elections for a new president, two vice presidents and 57 parliamentarians. The vote will close at 6:00 p.m. (2400 GMT). Results are expected from 8:00 pm (0200 GMT).