San Jose - Costa Rica hopes to secure loans and sell bonds to China after breaking its ties with Taiwan and establishing relations with the Asian economic giant earlier this month. Costa Rican Finance Minister Guillermo Zuniga told the daily La Nacion on Tuesday that the two governments are looking into the possibilities.
"We are talking and exploring," said Zuniga, who travelled to Beijing in late May with Foreign Minister Bruno Stagno.
That trip to China laid the groundwork for the establishment of ties with Beijing on June 1 and the immediate breakup of relations with Taiwan, who for 63 years had counted Costa Rica as one of its main allies in Latin America.
Zuniga denied that there was any kind of firm financial deal with China. Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian had told the media that China had decided to buy 300 million dollars in Costa Rican bonds and had also offered 130 million dollars in cooperation.
"I do not know where they get those figures from," Zuniga said.
After the breakup of diplomatic relations, Taipei cancelled its economic aid to Costa Rica. In recent years, Taiwan financed the construction of a strategic bridge and a road in northern Costa Rica, and also contributed equipment to the Central American country's security forces.
Costa Rican President Oscar Arias said the choice to establish relations with China was a "realistic decision," given the Asian giant's importance in the global economy.
Originally published on Earthtimes.org.
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