Costa Rica and China strengthen cooperation and work together for the future哥中加强合作 携手向未来

⬆ Beautiful natural scenery of Costa Rica（Photographer：Alessandra Baltodano）

Country introduction

The Republic of Costa Rica, located in Central America, has a population of 5.218.000 and shares international land borders with Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the east and south. Additionally, it borders both the Caribbean Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south.

The country has a total area of 51,100 km2. San Jose is the capital city located approximately 160 km away from the Caribbean Coast (Limon) and 96.3 km away from the Pacific Coast (Puntarenas).

Costa Rica is the tropical country with the highest reforestation rate in history, recovering more than 10% of its forested coverage in 30 years, having 25% of the territory in protected areas, it also has 6% of the world’s biodiversity.

Bilateral relation/cooperation

The establishment of diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China was formalized on June 1, 2007. At that time, Costa Rica became the first Central American country to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China recognizing the principle of one China.

Since then, both countries have had a constant political exchange with numerous official visits; A considerable number of treaties, conventions and agreements have been signed, one of the most celebrated treaties being the entry into force of the Free Trade Agreement in August 2011,  making Costa Rica one of the only 3 countries in Latin America that have FTA with China.

Also, we have the Bilateral Treaty for the Promotion and Protection of Investments, the Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement on the provision of non-reimbursable resources and the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Framework of the Economic Strip Initiative and the 22nd Century Maritime Silk Road.
Costa Rica has been the recipient of considerable non-reimbursable cooperation from the Chinese government. According to our data, 42.4% of bilateral non-reimbursable cooperation resources in the last decade came mainly from 3 countries in which China is included.

We mainly received cooperation from China around topics like SMEs; Science and Technology; export and investment promotion; culture; sports and recreation; agriculture; infrastructure; health, among others.

Among the cooperation projects received, we can mention the donation of patrols to the police force, the National State and its subsequent modernization in 2018, planes for the Public Force, the Police School with a value of 50 million dollars.

Regarding the educational and academic sector, the Chinese government has provided annual scholarships to Costa Rican students to study Mandarin Chinese, baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral degrees. Likewise, in 2008 the Confucius Institute of the University of Costa Rica was created. In addition, multiple Memorandums of Understanding have been signed between Universities and joint research, such as the establishment of the Costa Rica-China Center for Economic and Business Studies of the Beijing University of International Business and Economics.

Investment opportunities

Why do companies choose Costa Rica?

Qualified Workforce: Costa Rica has an exceptionally talented and bilingual young workforce. According to the Global Competitive Index 2019 of the World Economic Forum, Costa Rica has the best-qualified workforce in Latin America. Almost 100 % of employees in multinational companies are national.

Solid Infrastructure: In 2019 around 99% of energy came from renewable sources. The country also has redundant telecommunications access and an abundant water supply. Costa Rica has a 6.5% of the global biodiversity and around 52% of territorial forest cover.

Excellent Business Climate: The country enjoys an excellent business climate based on a renowned democratic tradition, economic and political stability. The Free Trade Zone provides as lows as 0% corporate income tax rate for companies operating with manufacturing or services operations, along with other benefits.

More than 300 high-tech companies, 41 of Fortune 500 companies have established successful operations in Costa Rica, and they are still growing, from Intel, Amazon, to medical companies such as Abbott Vascular and Bayer. The number of companies keeps growing. As we can see from the graph, according to IBM Global Locations Trends, Costa Rica is number 2 worldwide for the number of jobs per 1 million people through FDI and its number 12 in global destination for FDI in terms of the average Project value.  Another characteristic that makes Cota Rica special is that 67% of the jobs created in Costa Rica serve international markets.

Companies keep choosing Costa Rica as their country:

FDI inflows have grown an average of 5.5% every year since 2003. The country went from exporting traditional goods such as coffee and bananas, to completely changing its model to non-traditional goods, hence why by 2020 medical devices constituted the number 1 industrial export. However, we still believe in the power of diversification. For this reason, we export 1859 different products to 151 destinations.

This change in our export model has been thanks to the specialization acquired. Costa Rica is the number 1 exporter of high-value-added services and number 1 in Latin America in exports of High-tech.

Productivity in Costa Rica is driven by its human capital. Being ranked No 1 in human capital in Latin America according to the World Economic Forum, Costa Rica’s labor pool offers you the skills needed by your business.

Our country offers a strategic location to reach the Americas and the whole World. Due to the location, we offer an ideal time zone to service the Americas, with services in different languages, now even mandarin as well.

We have exceptional access to the world’s greatest markets, with FDA’s with China, South Korea, the United States, the European Union, among others, which provide preferential access to 2.6 billion people and 75% of the world’s GDP.

Costa Rica offers you the right conditions to do business. For service projects and manufacturing projects in the free trade zona regime, we offer for the first 8-year period, as low as 0% income tax, and for the following 4-year period, 15% income tax, with the possibility to have 8-year renewal periods.

In 2019, Costa Rica had its third consecutive year of being powered exclusively by renewable energy for more than 300 days in a row.

Under these key issues, Costa Rica has become a world leader in environmental policies, which has helped to attract eco-conscious foreign investors.

In 2018, the country joined the Wellbeing Economy Alliance, which brings together organizations from around the world, to transform the economy into one that puts human and ecological well-being first. Costa Rica is boosting opportunities for those responsible enterprises that need a strategic partner to accomplish new business standards.
In 2019, Costa Rica made the bold environmental proclamation to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. The country strives to reform transport, energy, waste, and land use. As stated by President Carlos Alvarado, the decarbonization plan consists of maintaining an upward curve in terms of economic growth and at the same time generating a downward curve in the use of fossil fuels.
Also, in May of this year, Costa Rica became the 38th member of the OECD, a group that represents 80% of the world’s GDP. This membership strengthens its productive sustainability based on People, Planet and Prosperity. Costa Rica’s FDI truly benefits.

Organizations in the personal care and well-being, food tech, and biomaterials industries have been rapidly expanding, including several members of RE100, a global initiative that brings together more than 100 influential businesses committed to 100% renewable energy.

As an example, Procter and Gamble’s San José service center has been able to achieve several of these goals – such as carbon neutrality and zero waste to landfill – significantly ahead of schedule. It is also very close to reaching the goal of using 100% renewable energy.

Costa Rica wants to prove that moving towards decarbonization makes economic sense and that sustainability and growth can work together. We believe now more than ever, our economies must be inclusive, sustainable, decarbonized, and human rights-based.  Costa Rica opens its doors to all enterprises that align with our economy and development model and it ready to help lead the process towards a greener and more sustainable foreign investment.

Culuture and Tourism

Costa Rica is one of most highly valued tourism destinations on this planet. This small piece of land has all the necessary components to intrigue and continually satisfy the millions who visit each year. Costa Rica has extensive tourism offerings, including rainforests, volcanoes, rivers traveling through the mountains, beaches, national parks and forest reserves.

This is a land of volcanoes, rainforests and cloud forests, huge waterfalls and mighty rivers. This abundant natural setting makes it difficult to decide between the various activities it offers, which include rafting, windsurfing, diving, kayaking, recreational fishing and surfing.

Costa Rica occupies a privileged place in the heart of Central America for the richness of its beaches, comprises 1,228 km of coastline, of which 1,016 km are from the Pacific coast and 212 km in the Caribbean Sea, you are separated by just three hours in vehicle or 45 minutes by air from San José. It is estimated that 600 beaches surround the entire national territory.

This wealth allows the enjoyment of the beach as a means of recreation, sport and rest. These are wooded beaches, with natural spaces and relatively little influx of tourists.
The Caribbean region stands out for its variety of marine ecosystems and its white- and black-sand beaches, ideal for activities centered around nature and the ocean, including surfing, diving in clear water, basking in the sun and hiking along the coast.

The Pacific coast contains major tourism centers and beaches that are favorites among surfers, including Esterillos, Jacó, Hermosa, Boca Barranca, as well as the Pavones Sector and the surroundings of the Marino Ballena National Park, with its famous long left wave.

Near the beach areas you will find a wide variety of options to stay and taste Costa Rican cuisine. Among the variety of hotels you can enjoy are: all inclusive option, honeymoon hotels, eco resort, family hotels, 5 star hotels, Spa & Wellness, etc. In addition to the typical food you can also enjoy restaurants that specialize in international dishes.

In Costa Rica will find plenty of exhilarating activities taking place in the greenest habitat and surrounded by exotic wildlife. A paradise for those who look for something different, a visit to Costa Rica provides a new life experience for all. In Costa Rica visitors will find everything they are looking for: adventure, sun, beaches, forest, wildlife and wellness, and much more.

Also, the country has long been famous among serious bird watchers and many people who never before had an interest change their mind when they encounter the country’s spectacular avian diversity.

With almost 900 species of birds – more than all of North America – concentrated into an area half the size of Kentucky, it is hard not to become an instant fan of the beautifully feathered creatures one encounters in Costa Rica. Local travel agencies provide experienced nature guides who make any bird watching expedition an enjoyable and educational experience.

Ecoturism:

The territory is divided into 29 national parks, 19 wildlife refuges, 8 biological reserves, and a series of protected areas that captivate lovers of ecotourism activities. Excursion offerings and tours are varied, including: horseback riding, hiking mountain trails, guided tours for bird watching, forests, landscapes and natural heritage sites, as well as aerial trams, lakes and rivers full of flora and fauna.

This tourism product not only aims to provide beautiful natural experiences for tourists, but also to educate visitors about the importance of protecting natural resources.

Culture:

We are the country of “pura vida” – a friendly, multicultural and multilingual people descended from the cultural fusion of immigrants, including Africans, Chinese, Jews, Lebanese and Italians, and the indigenous peoples of the Bribrí, Cabécar, Maleku, Teribe, Boruca, Ngäbe, Huetar and Chorotega groups.

Artistic expressions of music, dance, theater, cinema, handicrafts and audiovisual production are distinguished for their professionalism and quality.

In addition, the experiences of community-based rural tourism, developed by cooperatives or community associations, take you inside the lively culture of rural communities; there also are private ecological reserves, farms and areas of interest, or sites close to areas of environmental and cultural interest, with tourist services.

Costa Rica also offers world-renowned cultural wonders, including: the oxherd and oxcart – a masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage – chiefdom settlements and the stone spheres of southern Costa Rica, and the Guayabo National Archaeological Monument. Other nationally prized offerings and cultural traditions shared with visitors include creole swing dance, Limón calypso, traditional Chorotega ceramics, the Boruca Little Devils Festival, art, crafts, music and gastronomy, among others.

Visitors can take a little piece of the Costa Rican soul home with them with handicrafts made by the hands of our artisans, which adds value to a travel experience.

Costa Rican sustainable cuisine ranges from the traditional to the innovative at restaurants, sodas, markets and farmers markets, using a variety of organic products, and tailored to meet any budget and level of demand.

In the multiple tourist regions visitors can find everything from home cooking to modern, traditional, sophisticated, vegetarian and vegan restaurants, with a range of food prepared with fresh and natural ingredients.

Visit our markets, farmers markets and organic fairs in major cities across the country to discover the products we offer.

Costa Ricans have more than a century of democratic traditions and more than 50 years without an army. Its military was abolished in 1948 and the money the country saves by not having armed forces is invested in improving the standard of living of its inhabitants, which helps maintain the social peace that makes Costa Rica a wonderful place to visit.

哥斯达黎加共和国位于中美洲，哥斯达黎加的总面积为51100平方公里，人口521.8万。它的北部与尼加拉瓜接壤，东部和南部与巴拿马接壤。它东临加勒比海，西部和南部则是太平洋。它的首都是圣何塞，距离加勒比海海岸（利蒙）约160公里，距离太平洋海岸（蓬塔雷纳斯）96.3公里。

哥斯达黎加是历史上造林率最高的热带国家，在30年时间里恢复了10%以上的森林覆盖率，并且拥有25%的保护区领土，同时占世界生物多样性的6%。

⬆ 上：业务繁忙的港口    下：哥斯达黎加特色鸟巨嘴鸟

双边关系与合作

2007年6月1日，哥斯达黎加与中华人民共和国正式建立外交关系。那时，哥斯达黎加是第一个承认“一个中国”的原则并与中国建立外交关系的中美洲国家。

从此以后，两国保持了经常性的政治交流，两国领导人有过多次正式互访；两国还签署了许多条约、公约和协定，其中最著名的一个条约是2011年8月开始生效的《中国—哥斯达黎加自由贸易协定》，它使哥斯达黎加成为拉丁美洲三个与中国建立自由贸易区的国家之一。

此外，两国还签署了《关于促进和保护投资的协定》、《经济技术协定》以及共建“一带一路”谅解备忘录。

哥斯达黎加是中国政府大量无偿合作的受援国。根据我们的数据，过去10年中，42.4%的双边无偿合作资源主要来自包括中国在内的三个国家。

我们从中国获得的合作主要涉及中小企业、科学与技术、出口和投资促进、文化、体育与娱乐、农业、基础设施和健康等领域。

双方的合作项目包括2018年向国家、警察部队及其后续现代化改造捐赠的巡逻车辆、向公共部门捐赠的飞机以及价值5000万美元的警察学校。

在教育和学术领域，中国政府每年向哥斯达黎加的学生提供奖学金，助力他们学习汉语和获得学士、硕士和博士学位。2008年哥斯达黎加大学还成立了孔子学院。此外，两国的大学和联合研究机构之间还签署了多项谅解备忘录，比如，北京对外经济贸易大学就设立了哥斯达黎加—中国经济和商业研究中心。

 
⬆  美丽的乡村景观

投资机遇

为什么外国公司会选择哥斯达黎加？

合格的劳动力：哥斯达黎加拥有极具才华并且可以使用双语的年轻的劳动力队伍。根据世界经济论坛2019年发布的全球竞争力指数，哥斯达黎加拥有拉丁美洲最合格的劳动力。在跨国公司，几乎100%的员工都是本国员工。

坚实的基础设施：哥斯达黎加使用的能源约99%都属于可再生能源。哥斯达黎加的电信网络遍布全国，而且水资源供应也很充沛。哥斯达黎加的生物多样性占全球的6.5%，国土森林覆盖率达到近52%。

极佳的营商环境：哥斯达黎加享有著名的民主传统，政治和经济也很稳定，因此营商环境非常好。自由贸易区为从事制造业或服务业的公司提供了低至0%的企业所得税税率，以及其他福利。

300多家高科技公司，包括财富500强企业中的41家，已经在哥斯达黎加成功地开展了业务，而且它们的规模仍在增长，这其中有英特尔、亚马逊以及雅培和拜耳等医疗公司。跨国公司的数量仍在持续增长。根据IBM提供的全球位置趋势，哥斯达黎加通过外国直接投资获得的每百万人就业机会的数量在全球排名第二，其项目的平均价值在全球外国直接投资目的地中排名第12。哥斯达黎加的另一个特点是它创造的67%的就业机会都服务于国际市场。

外国公司持续选择哥斯达黎加作为投资国

自2003年以来，外国直接投资流入的年平均增长率达到5.5%。哥斯达黎加以前出口的都是传统产品，比如咖啡和香蕉。现在其出口模式已经完全改变了，到2020年，医疗器械成为其第一大工业出口产品。不过，我们依然秉持多样化的理念，因此，我们向151个不同的目的国出口1859种不同的商品。

出口模式的转变得益于专业化。哥斯达黎加是高附加值服务的第一大出口国，也是拉丁美洲高科技的第一大出口国。

哥斯达黎加的生产效率依托的是其人力资本。世界经济论坛的数据显示，哥斯达黎加的人力资本在拉丁美洲排名第一，它的劳动力能够满足企业所需的各种技能。

哥斯达黎加具备通往美洲和全世界的战略地位，并且由于所处的地理位置，它可以使用不同的语言为美洲大陆提供理想的服务，现在还包括了汉语。

哥斯达黎加拥有进入世界最大市场的特殊渠道，食品和药品管理局与中国、韩国、美国、欧盟等国家合作，为占到世界GDP 75%的26亿人口提供了优惠准入通道。

哥斯达黎加为企业经商提供了适宜的条件。对于那些位于自由贸易区的服务项目和制造业项目，头8年企业所得税的税率低至0%，之后的4年里，所得税税率是15%，而且在接下来的8年中，很可能会继续保持这一税率。

到2019年，哥斯达黎加已经连续3年完全使用可再生能源供电，每年超过300多天。

凭借这些优势，哥斯达黎加已经成为环境政策的世界引领者，同时也助力其吸引到具有生态意识的外国投资者。

2018年，哥斯达黎加加入了福利经济联盟，该联盟汇集了来自世界各地的组织，旨在经济活动中把人类和生态福祉放在首位。哥斯达黎加正在为那些需要与战略合作伙伴共同实现新商业标准的负责任的企业提供更多机会。

2019年，哥斯达黎加宣布了非常大胆的环境宣言，即在2050年前实现碳中和。哥斯达黎加将努力改革交通、能源、废弃物和土地使用。正如卡洛斯·阿尔瓦拉多总统所言，脱碳计划既要确保经济的继续增长，同时也要不断减少化石燃料的使用。

此外，今年5月，哥斯达黎加成为了经济合作与发展组织（OECD）的第38个成员国，该组织占全球GDP的80%。成员国的资格有助于哥斯达黎加在人类、地球家园和繁荣的基础上强化其生产的可持续性，对哥斯达黎加吸引外国直接投资也非常有益。

个人护理和健康、食品技术和生物材料行业的机构也一直在快速发展，其中包括几个RE100的成员。RE100是一项全球倡议，汇集了100多家致力于100%使用可再生能源的有影响力的企业。

比如，宝洁公司的圣何塞服务中心已经大大提前实现了其中的几个目标，包括碳中和和零垃圾填埋。它也非常接近百分之百使用可再生能源的目标了。

哥斯达黎加希望证明，实现脱碳在经济上是有意义的，可持续性和经济增长可以齐头并进。我们现在比以往任何时候都更加相信，我们的经济必须具备包容、可持续、脱碳和基于人权的特点。哥斯达黎加向所有符合其经济和发展模式的企业敞开大门，并做好准备引领外国投资向更绿色和更持续的方向发展。

文化和旅游

哥斯达黎加是这个星球上最具价值的旅游目的地之一。这片小小的土地拥有每年吸引和持续满足数百万游客的所有必不可少的成分。哥斯达黎加的旅游资源非常丰富，包括热带雨林、火山、穿越山脉的河流、海滩、国家公园和森林保护区。

这一片土地上有火山、雨林、云林、巨大的瀑布和浩瀚的河流。如此丰富的自然环境常常使得人们很难在各种活动中做出取舍，包括漂流、帆板、潜水、皮划艇、休闲垂钓和冲浪。
哥斯达黎加位于中美洲腹地，此处丰富的海滩使其享有了得天独厚的位置。它的海岸线长达1228公里，其中1016公里与太平洋接壤，212公里与加勒比海接壤。从圣何塞前往海岸线仅需3小时的车程，乘飞机只要45分钟。据估计，全国各地有约600个海滩。

这一自然资源使海滩成为娱乐、运动和休憩的一种方式。海滩上树木茂盛，游客也相对较少，可以充分领略和享受大自然。

加勒比海地区以其多样的海洋生态系统以及黑色和白色的沙滩而闻名，是围绕自然和海洋进行活动的理想之地，包括冲浪、在清水中潜水、晒太阳和沿海岸徒步旅行。

太平洋海岸拥有主要的旅游中心和海滩，它们都是冲浪爱好者最喜欢的，包括埃斯特里洛斯、杰科、埃尔莫萨、博卡·巴兰卡，以及帕夫内斯区和马里诺·巴列纳国家公园的周边地区。

在海滩附近，你可以选择各式各样的住宿地并品尝哥斯达黎加美食。这里的酒店种类繁多，包括：全包式酒店、蜜月酒店、生态度假村、家庭酒店、五星级酒店、水疗和健康酒店等。除了当地的特色食物外，你还可以光顾专门提供世界各地菜肴的餐厅。

在哥斯达黎加，人们发现许多令人振奋的活动都发生在最绿色的栖息地，周围都是奇异的野生动物。对于那些试图寻找非同寻常之地的游客来说，哥斯达黎加之旅提供了新的生活体验，堪称人间天堂。在哥斯达黎加，游客可以找到他们想要的一切：冒险、阳光、海滩、森林、野生动物和健康以及更多。

此外，哥斯达黎加长期以来在专业的鸟类观察家中享有盛名，即使许多以前从未对此有过兴趣的人在看到哥斯达黎加多样性的鸟类时也会改变主意。

近900种鸟类集中在面积只有肯塔基州一半大小的地区，比北美洲所有的鸟类都多，这很难不让人在哥斯达黎加立刻就成为这些长着美丽羽毛鸟类的粉丝。当地旅行社会安排这方面经验丰富的向导，使任何的观鸟探险都能成为一种愉快的教育体验。

生态旅游

哥斯达黎加有29个国家公园、19个野生动物保护区、8个生物保护区和一系列吸引生态旅游爱好者的保护区。游览项目和旅行项目多种多样，包括骑马、徒步山路、向导陪同的观鸟、森林游、风景和自然遗产观光，以及乘坐空中有轨电车和游览到处都是动植物的湖泊和河流。

这些旅游项目不仅可以让游客体验大自然的美丽风光，还能够让他们意识到保护自然资源的重要性。

社会人文

哥斯达黎加是一个生活“简单且美好”的国家，人民友好，人口呈现多文化和多语言的特点，是移民文化融合的产物，这里有非洲人、中国人、犹太人、黎巴嫩人和意大利人，以及布布里布里、卡贝卡、马莱库、特里贝、博鲁卡、纳贝、韦塔和乔洛特加等土著民族。

音乐、舞蹈、戏剧、电影、手工艺品和视听制作的艺术表现形式因其专业性和高品质而闻名于世。

此外，由合作社或社区协会开发的基于社区的乡村旅游体验可以让来访者深入了解乡村生动活泼的文化；私人生态保护区、农场和名胜景区以及临近环境和文化名胜区的景点也都提供旅游服务。

哥斯达黎加还拥有世界著名的文化奇观，包括：牛群和牛车（它们是口语和非物质文化遗产的杰作）、酋长的定居地和哥斯达黎加南部的石球以及瓜亚博国家考古纪念碑。其他可以与游客分享的国家级珍品和文化传统还包括克里奥尔摇摆舞、利蒙的卡利普索民歌、传统的乔罗特加陶瓷、博鲁卡小恶魔节、艺术、手工艺、音乐和美食等。

游客可以借助工匠手工制作的手工艺品将哥斯达黎加的灵魂带回家，这也为旅行体验增添了价值。

哥斯达黎加的烹饪非常具有生态意识，无论是苏打水还是餐厅、市场和农贸市场出售的传统饮食或创新食品，它们使用的都是各种有机产品，并根据顾客的预算和需求量身制作。

在许多旅游区，游客可以在家常菜、现代、传统、精致、素食和纯素食餐厅里品尝各种各样的食物，这些食物都是用新鲜和天然的原料制成的。

在全国各大城市的市场、农贸市场和有机产品交易会上也会发现我们提供的各种产品。

哥斯达黎加人有一个多世纪的民主传统，50多年来一直没有再拥有军队。1948年，哥斯达黎加废除了军队，并将节省下来的资金用于提高居民的生活水平，这不仅有助于维护社会和平，也使哥斯达黎加成为了一个旅游的好去处。