China and Costa Rica officially launched contacts leading to the discussion of a free trade agreement between the two nations. A mission from the People’s Republic of China arrived here to develop technical studies aimed at defining whether the negotiations for the eventual agreement should be launched. The Ministry of Foreign Commerce explained that the feasibility study will initially last six months. China has soon become Costa Rica’s second market, after the United States. From January through November last year, China bought $1,304 million worth of Costa Rican goods, while the United States purchased $3,032 million, and Holland, the third leading market, bought $428 million, according to the Foreign Commerce Promoter (PROCOMER in Spanish).