Relations with China
Bilateral political relations: China and Costa Rica established diplomatic relations on June 1, 2007. After that, the two countries had frequent exchanges.
Bilateral economic and trade relations: China is Costa Rica’s second largest trading partner. In April 2010, the two countries signed a free trade agreement. In August 2011, the agreement officially came into effect. According to Chinese customs statistics, the total trade volume between China and Costa Rica in 2012 was US$6.173 billion, of which China exported US$902 million and imported US$5.271 billion, representing year-on-year increases of 30.5%, 2% and 37.1% respectively.
China mainly exports electrical appliances and electronic products, transportation vehicles, machinery and equipment, cotton textiles and plastic products; it imports electrical appliances and electronic products, electronic technology, integrated circuits and microelectronic components, computers and communication technology, and electronic products. Spare parts, etc.
Other exchanges: In November 2011, the Chinese naval hospital ship "Peace Ark" visited Colombia for the first time to provide humanitarian medical services to local people and overseas Chinese.
Relationship with the United States
Colombia and the United States established diplomatic relations in 1851. The two countries have close relations with constant high-level visits. The United States is Colombia's largest trading partner. In 2007, Colombia's exports to the United States were US$1.142 billion and imports from the United States were US$2.865 billion. The United States has always regarded Colombia as a "model democracy" for Latin American countries and has provided substantial economic assistance. The two sides maintain close cooperation in anti-terrorism, anti-drug, military and other fields. The United States has established a Latin American police academy in Colombia, and US warships use Colombia's Pacific and Atlantic ports. In 2003, under pressure from the United States, Colombia withdrew from the "Group of 22" in the WTO. After President Arias came to power, Colombia asked the United States to remove Colombia from its allies supporting the Iraq War on its official website, and openly criticized the United States' anti-terrorism policy at the UN General Assembly. In March 2007, the United States announced that it would forgive Colombia's debt of US$12.6 million and promised to support Colombia's entry into the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. In September 2008, President Arias visited the United States and extended the final effective date of the free trade agreement to January 1, 2009.
Relations with Latin American countries
Attach importance to the development of good-neighborly and friendly cooperative relations with Latin American countries, especially Central American countries, maintain close high-level exchanges, and actively promote the integration process of the Central American region. Brotherhood has no diplomatic relations with Cuba. President Arias publicly criticized the leaders of Cuba and Venezuela, causing dissatisfaction between Cuba and Venezuela. In addition, Colombia has border and immigration disputes with neighboring Nicaragua. Signed the "Pacific Gulf" Forum Charter Statement with the heads of state of seven Latin American countries, including El Salvador, Mexico, Panama, Chile, Colombia, Guatemala and Honduras, to close economic and trade ties with APEC member states.
Relations with Cuba
In 1961, Costa Rica unilaterally announced the suspension of diplomatic relations with Cuba due to ideological differences. In March 2009, the Colombian government stated that the severance of diplomatic relations with Cuba was entirely a product of the Cold War period. The world has undergone tremendous changes, and the government decided to restore diplomatic relations with Cuba. In August 2010, Cuba sent its first ambassador to Costa Rica in 50 years.
Relationships with European Countries
It has traditional economic and trade exchanges with European countries and is the most important exporter of Central America to the EU. In October 2007, the first round of talks on the partnership agreement between Central America and Europe was held in Costa Rica. The partnership agreement consists of three parts: a free trade agreement, a political dialogue mechanism and a cooperation mechanism. During the negotiation process, Colombia advocated the establishment of a "strategic partnership with preferential treatment" between Central American countries and Europe. In December, the heads of Central American countries signed the "Central America Joint Tariff Agreement", which provided legal guarantee for the Central America-EU free trade negotiations.
Relations with Asia-Pacific countries
In the 21st century, Colombia has increasingly attached importance to economic and trade cooperation with Asia-Pacific countries, and advocates the establishment of regular political and economic consultation mechanisms between Central America and ASEAN countries. It is now a member of the "East Asia-Latin America Cooperation Forum". According to statistics from the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Trade, Asia has become Colombia’s second largest trading partner after the United States.