The Chinese have come to town. Both the first Chinese trade exposition and first diplomatic delegation are in Costa Rica and preparing for a whirlwind of meetings, forums, cocktails, and signings this week.

The Chinese Trade Expo will kick off tonight at 6 p.m. Featuring 30 Chinese companies and sponsored by the Chinese Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), the Expo will be opened to the public on Thursday and Friday afternoons at the Hotel Herradura, outside San José.

The council has announced that it will open a trade promotion office in San José, and during the Expo, it will be signing cooperation agreements with several of its Costa Rican counterparts.

Meanwhile, the diplomatic delegation will be busy as well. First will come a forum on economic integration, to take place this morning. Next, the delegation will meet with Costa Rican President Oscar Arias.

On Thursday morning, the delegation will meet with its Costa Rican counterpart in the Foreign Ministry, and finally, the group will officially inaugurate the new Chinese Embassy in Rohrmoser, west of San José.

Costa Rica and China began diplomatic relations June 1 (TT, June 8).