(Yicai Global) Oct. 15 -- The upcoming China International Import Expo is crucial to the trade development between Costa Rica and China and will help promote the rapid growth of Costa Rica's exports to the country, said Minister of Foreign Trade Dyala Jimenez.

Costa Rica's Vice-President Epsy Campbell Barr along with Jimenez will lead a delegation with figures from the nation's fruit, coffee and beef industries at CIIE, state-backed Xinhua News Agency reported.

China is Costa Rica's second largest trading partner and the two countries enjoy a free trade agreement as well as an agreement on investment promotion and protection. The total trade volume between the two nations rose 4.3 percent last year to reach USD2.3 billion. Jimenez said that the FTA is of great significance to Costa Rica.

The Chinese government has strict procedures and regulations on market access for products while Costa Rica has signed 11 inspection and quarantine protocols for products imported to China, she added.

The Costa Rica side will continue to work hard to strengthen economic and trade relations between the two countries in the future, Jimenez said, adding that Costa Rica will attract investments from China via in-depth use of the investment agreement to help promote domestic exports.

China established diplomatic relations with Costa Rica in 2007 and the pair signed a memorandum of understanding regarding the Belt and Road Initiative this September, making Costa Rica the ninth Latin American and Caribbean country to sign such an agreement.