Costa Rican president visits Shanghai

SHANGHAI - Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla Miranda arrived in Shanghai on Sunday, kicking off an eight-day state visit to China at the invitation of President Hu Jintao.

President Chinchilla will travel to Beijing after finishing her visit to Shanghai.

Sources with China's foreign ministry said President Hu will hold talks with Chinchilla. National People's Congress Standing Committee Chairman Wu Bangguo, Premier Wen Jiabao and Vice-President Xi Jinping will also meet with her.

In an exclusive interview on Friday, Chinchilla told Xinhua that Costa Rica has made major strides in its relations with China since diplomatic ties were officially established in June 2007.

President Chinchilla, the first female president of the central American nation, assumed the presidency in May 2010.