SAN JOSE -- At the invitation of Costa Rica, President Xi Jinping's Special Envoy Chen Xiaodong attended Costa Rica's presidential handover ceremony at the National Stadium on Friday.

Costa Rican President Laura Fernandez on Thursday met with Chen, also chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency.

Chen conveyed Xi's cordial greetings and best wishes to Fernandez, saying that since the establishment of diplomatic ties nearly 19 years ago, China-Costa Rica relations have made significant progress and brought tangible benefits to the two peoples.

He said the Chinese government has always viewed China-Costa Rica relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, adding that China is willing to push for the sustained, sound and steady development of bilateral ties.

Fernandez thanked Xi for sending a special envoy to attend the ceremony and asked Chen to convey her sincere greetings to Xi.

She said that Costa Rica-China relations are in good shape and that with a vast market, China offers great opportunities.

Costa Rica welcomes Chinese enterprises to invest in the country and is willing to strengthen practical cooperation with China in such fields as infrastructure, education and health, expand exports to China and deepen their traditional friendship, so as to push for steady development of bilateral relations, she said.