New Chinese Envoy Arrives in San José

The man expected to be the new Chinese ambassador to Costa Rica arrived in San José Wednesday.Various Chinese businesses and trade organizations took out a full-page advertisement in the daily La Nación to welcome Wang Xiaoyuan to the country.

Wang was previously ambassador to Uruguay, and he has also worked in a diplomatic capacity in Mexico, Spain, Brazil and Equatorial Guinea.

Wang will present his credentials to the Foreign Ministry Monday, ACAN-EFE reported. He will act as the lead trade diplomat for the embassy until he is approved for the post of ambassador by the Chinese government, ministry press representatives said.

Ever since Chinese diplomats arrived in Costa Rica late last week, speculation has been flying over whether the Chinese government would help make up the $70 million in lost aid and financing after Taiwan pulled its funds from the country (see related story).

Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry is studying the possibility of changing the status of Chinese citizens who apply for visas in Costa Rica, reflecting the newly formed diplomatic relations between the two countries.

At the moment, Chinese applying for entry into Costa Rica are offered only restricted visas, which take months to approve and must get the final sign-off from the director of Immigration himself.

Trade advocates have said before that the visa restrictions have made it hard for Chinese business owners to enter the country to look for opportunities or make investments (TT, June 8).