Chinatown Project Starts In San Jose, Costa Rica

Costa Rica and China have made another deal, now there is going to be a China Town in San Jose, like the one in Mexico as the photo shows

China continues to wine and dine Costa Rica, now the government of China will be contributing US$1 million dollars to help construct a Chinatown or Barrio Chino. Of course Costa Rica’s Government or municipalidad de San José will fork out about US$300,000 to help finance the project.

This announcement came in an official ceremony that included Costa Rican president, Oscar Arias, Municipalidad de San José mayor, Johnny Araya and the mayor of Beijing, Guo Jinlong, to place the cornerstone for the project.

The area in the Catedral district between Avenidas 2 an 14, now known as Paseo de los Estudiantes will become Barrio Chino that will include a pedestrian boulevard. This new Chinatown development will include restaurants serving oriental food and retail stores selling oriental artifacts, medication and other products.

This is just another bonding that Costa Rica is doing to close it ties between China. China and Costa Rica started their diplomatic relations back in July 2007 after Costa Rica broke off relations with Taiwan a month earlier.

China Town can be the haven for illegal actives

This may sound like a good thing but some China Towns in major cities become the Mecca of illegal actives like, prostitution, child labor abuse, and shaky street vendors, which San Jose is cracking down on. And with prostitution and gambling legal in Costa Rica, well I rest my case.

However, one of the biggest problems that may develop out of this is the importing of counterfeit products, like DVDs, CDs and designer goods.  Many will come to “Chinatown’s” districts to buy the so-called “bargains” that are just cheap copies of the originals or products that are sold as the real thing but not.

Police already having a hard time with illegal street vendors, now they will have to triple their oversight on shop owners.

With Costa Rica free trade agreement,  China continues to become now the second largest trade partner of Costa Rica. Costa Rica is the second largest trade partner of China from Central America. The bilateral trade between the two countries reached 2.87 billion U.S. dollars in 2007. China’s imports from Costa Rica hit 2.3 billion U.S. dollars, up 32 percent, and its exports gained 39 percent to 570 million U.S. dollars.

In the US, China’s investment continues to send up red flags to many US politicians, whose are saying, China is using these investments as leverage to increase their political and diplomatic goals that sometimes clash with Washington’s priorities.

See related articles : China donates Soccer Balls and Bicycles and China Invests in Costa Rica Bonds and Reserves.

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