Just weeks after Costa Rica severed 60 years of relations with Taiwan, China's envoy presented his credentials to Foreign Minister Bruno Stagno, Costa Rican media reported Tuesday, according to dpa. Wang Xiaoyuan presented his credentials on Monday as charge d'affaires, although he is set to have the rank of ambassador in the future. Wang said the Chinese diplomatic delegation in San Jose is set to be large, since it is the Asian giant's first in Central America, a region of allies of rival Taiwan. The future ambassador noted that Costa Rica will be important for China due to its position at the centre of the Americas and to its potential to attract investment in a region where China has no other allies. After over 60 years, Costa Rica broke ties with Taiwan on June 1 to recognize China, a move said to be under consideration by some of Taiwan's other Central American allies. Wang appeared before Costa Rican media for an hour at the hotel Herradura, and noted that China has the largest reserve of foreign currency in the world and hence great potential as an ally. Taiwan is currently recognized by only 24 mostly small nations, with half of them in Central America. Taiwan gives these countries aid in exchange for their backing Taipei's bid to rejoin the United Nations and other international organizations. China, which sees Taiwan as its breakaway province, is wooing them to drop Taipei and recognize Beijing. Some small countries have switched back and forth between Taipei and Beijing several times, depending on who gave more aid.
