Chinese influence is increasing throughout Costa Rica.

In current news, we hear of heated Free-Tibet protests in London and other major cities around the world, condemning China’s infringement on human rights. Once again, China is on everyone’s mind and a favorite topic of discussion. For better and for worse, China’s role in the world’s economy and society is prevalent, and its impact on a local level can also be felt.

A Bit of Chinese History in Costa Rica
The first Chinese immigrants decided to Travel to Costa Rica as far back as the 1850’s. In those days, the economic and political situation in China was unstable; so many desperate and/or entrepreneurial citizens took to the seas looking for the “land of opportunity.” Many have heard of the large communities of Chinese that ended up in the United States, but few have heard of those that settled in Costa Rica. The biggest communities are still located along the Caribbean coast in Limón. This original Chinese community, now numbering around 50,000, has grown deep roots and has become an integral part of Tico society.

Not long ago, on June 1st of 2007, Costa Rica made a sudden diplomatic about face when it broke 60 years of official relations with Taiwan and welcomed the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as its new ally from the region. On this controversial occasion, Costa Rican joined 168 countries that recognize the Peking-based regime as the legitimate Chinese government. This regime considers Taiwan a rebel province. During this event, President Oscar Arias insisted that far from having ideological or other reasons, establishing diplomatic ties with China was a strictly economic and commercial matter. Since then, we have been seeing more and more economic and cultural exchanges between these two nations and we should expect to see much more in the near future.

Today, a new wave of Chinese immigrants is arriving in Costa Rica. Just like previous generations, these new immigrants are also looking for a better life or to be reunited with family members that came before them. A few major differences are that now they fly in on an airplane and they usually bring significant amounts of money to invest in the local economy. There are several well-established support groups to maintain their traditions and language as well as teach it to the local population The Centro Cultural Chino (Chinese Cultural Center) in Rohrmoser (450 meters North of Plaza Rohrmoser) offers Mandarin, ping pong and traditional painting classes for low prices as it is subsidized by the Chinese government.

International Arts Festival
The Costa Rican government is also doing its part to promote cultural understanding between the people. The upcoming International Arts Festival 2008 (Festival Internacional de las Artes (FIA)), to be held from April 11th through the 20th, will have the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as its country of honor. The PRC will bring the prestigious Beijing Opera, traditional music and a contingent of skilled acrobats to share with us. As part of the festival, a Chinese Pavilion will be put up in La Sabana park where visitors can learn all about this age-old culture. The FIA will be host to over 70 groups and soloists from over 21 countries and will offer fun entertainment and educational options for people of all ages.

Chinese Food Lover’s Read On
Although there are Chinese restaurants all over Costa Rica, some don’t serve really authentic food. Of course, this has happened for economic reasons as restaurateurs have needed to adapt and create dishes that please local consumers. If you’re craving some of the really good stuff, try Dim Sum, a traditional Chinese breakfast, at the Chinese Association. The Association is located about 300 meters east of the Supreme Court in San José and should be easy to recognize due to its traditional architecture. Although this place has seen better days and is now slightly run down, the food and prices more than make up for it. Many well-seasoned food lovers say you can always tell if a place serves good or authentic food by who’s sitting next to you – at the Chinese Association you’ll find yourself surrounded by Chinese and people of Chinese descent, so you know you’re definitely at the right place.

If you are on the West end of town, Pavas has a large Chinese population and offers several authentic dining options such as Palacio Imperial (Imperial Palace), which has a formal dining atmosphere and great food. More well known on the other side of Careterra a Pavas is Isla Verde, a hotel/restaurant with a bit more expensive cuisine.

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Filed under: Living on April 8th, 2008