President Xi Jinping has congratulated Laura Fernandez on her election as president of Costa Rica.

Xi said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations 18 years ago, China and Costa Rica had made rapid progress in bilateral ties, with fruitful advances achieved in exchanges and co-operation across various fields, delivering tangible benefits to the two peoples.

Facts, he said, have fully proved that the development of China-Costa Rica relations serves the fundamental interests of both countries and their peoples, and reflects the prevailing trend of the times and the shared aspirations of the people.

Xi said that he attached great importance to the development of China-Costa Rica relations and stood ready to work with Fernandez to strengthen strategic communication, deepen political mutual trust, actively advance co-operation in various fields, and push for the steady growth of bilateral relations on the basis of the one-China principle, so as to deliver more benefits to the two peoples. (Xinhua)