In 2021, the strategic partnership between the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Costa Rica maintained sound momentum of growth.

The two countries enjoyed close high-level exchanges. In October, President Carlos Alvarado Quesada of Costa Rica delivered a pre-recorded video message at the Leaders’ Summit of the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. In June and October, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi sent reply letters to Costa Rican Minister of External Relations and Worship Rodolfo Solano Quirós on the 14th anniversary of bilateral ties and the 72nd anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China respectively. In October, Costa Rican Minister of Public Works and Transport Rodolfo Méndez Mata attended the second United Nations Global Sustainable Transport Conference via video link. In December, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi hosted the third Ministerial Meeting of the China-CELAC Forum, and Minister of External Relations and Worship Rodolfo Solano Quirós attended the meeting via video link.

Cooperation continued to develop in economy, trade, culture and other areas. The year 2021 marked the 10th anniversary of the entry into force of the China-Costa Rica Free Trade Agreement, and the two sides held the sixth meeting of the Free Trade Commission to comprehensively assess the implementation of the agreement. Trains procured by the Costa Rican Railway Institute from CRRC Qingdao Sifang Co. were officially put into operation. Haier biomedical smart frequency ULT freezers purchased by Costa Rica facilitated the country’s vaccination efforts. China became the largest export destination for Costa Rican beef. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the CPC and the 200th anniversary of Costa Rica’s independence, Shanghai International Studies University and National University of Costa Rica co-published and released the Spanish version of Classics Quoted by Xi Jinping in Latin America and the Caribbean region. The “Chinese Ballet Gala” performance was broadcast by TV channels in Costa Rica. The City of Fuzhou held a light show to mark the 200th anniversary of Costa Rica’s independence.