China and Costa Rica: 170 Years of Close Ties

Published on 28 May 2025

The Spring Festival, also known as Chinese New Year, is China’s oldest and most significant traditional festival. It is a time of profound importance when Chinese people around the world bid farewell to the old and welcome the new, in the company of their families. Last December, this fundamental symbol of Chinese culture was inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, becoming a shared legacy for all of humanity.

Exhibition from June 3rd to June 29th, 2025

National Gallery of Costa Rica, Children’s Museum.

Costa Rica: a pioneer in Latin America in honoring Chinese culture

Costa Rica has welcomed this celebration with great enthusiasm. For years, Costa Rican society has shown a genuine appreciation for Chinese culture. In 2019, Costa Rica passed the Law for the Celebration of Chinese Culture Day. With this, it became the first Latin American country to officially establish this date.
The decision reaffirmed the bonds of friendship between the two peoples.

The year 2024 marked the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. During this year, the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was successfully held, outlining an ambitious plan to deepen the country’s comprehensive reform. The Chinese economy showed a robust recovery, exceeding 130 trillion yuan in gross domestic product (GDP) for the first time, with 5% growth compared to the previous year. Foreign trade reached a new record, maintaining China as the world’s second-largest importer for six consecutive years.

Significant advances were also made in science and technology: the first astronauts born in the 1990s traveled to space, and the 5.5G network began operating in more than 100 cities, rapidly expanding across the country. In sports, Chinese athletes excelled at the Summer Olympics in Paris.

Relations between the two countries

On the international stage, China continues to strengthen its ties with Latin America. In November 2024, President Xi Jinping made his sixth visit to the region, promoting cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. The inauguration of the Port of Chancay in Peru significantly improved connectivity between Latin America and East Asia, expanding opportunities for joint and sustained development.

Costa Rica has been a key partner in this process. Since diplomatic relations were established with China 18 years ago under the leadership of President Óscar Arias, bilateral cooperation has reached remarkable levels. In the last year, more than 20 government, academic, and cultural delegations have exchanged visits. More than 200 Costa Ricans have been invited to training courses in China, and joint programs on topics such as agriculture and new energies have been developed and warmly received.

Trade between the two countries continues to strengthen. Between January and November 2024, bilateral trade volume reached US$6.8 billion, surpassing the previous year’s figure. Costa Rica’s exports to China amounted to US$3.8 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 43%.

Bonds have also been strengthened in the cultural sphere. Notable examples include a joint concert by violinist Yao Liang of the China National Symphony Orchestra and the University of Costa Rica Symphony Orchestra, and a performance of traditional Chinese music by the Sichuan Conservatory during the 2024 International Arts Festival.

Visual art and intercultural dialogue at the National Gallery

This year is also significant for another reason: it marks the 170th anniversary of the arrival of the Chinese in Costa Rica. Throughout this time, the Chinese community has contributed to the country’s development with dedication and effort. They have established deep ties of friendship with the Costa Rican people. To celebrate this occasion, various cultural activities will be held in several cantons. These include exhibitions, festivals, and dragon boat races. The events are organized with the support of the Chinese Embassy.

One of the most notable activities is the visual arts exhibition at the National Gallery of the CENAC in San José. This exhibition brings together works by Chinese artists living in Costa Rica, including Isidro Con Wong, Otto Apuy Sirias, Edgar León Martínez, Guillermo Porras On, Man Yu, the HAPA Collective, Ling Hin Way, and Yebin Guo. Admission is free and open to the public, offering a window into the rich cultural ties between the two nations.

The snake, symbol of the lunar new year, represents agility, wisdom, and vitality in traditional Chinese culture. With these values as its guide, China reaffirms its commitment to advancing along the path of peaceful modernization, promoting global cooperation, common development, and mutual learning among civilizations.

The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Costa Rica will continue to promote exchanges at all levels and in all sectors, committed to strengthening mutual trust and fostering ever closer cooperation.

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