San Jose - A modern science and business centre is set to be built in Costa Rica with financial assistance from China, Costa Rican authorities said Wednesday.

The 65-million-dollar complex will seek to attract investment from state-of-the-art companies, the daily La Nacion reported.

Wang Xiaoyuan, the Chinese ambassador to Costa Rica, confirmed the project.

"The idea is to have a development area with research and production to attract investment," he explained.

China has offered millions of dollars in aid to Costa Rica after San Jose established ties with Beijing in June 2007. Until then, Costa Rica had maintained ties with Taiwan, which China regards as a breakaway province and is recognized only by
23 small countries.

China has acquired 300 million dollars in Costa Rican bonds, is financing a project to enlarge Costa Rica's state oil refinery and has donated funds for the construction of a football stadium in San Jose, which is set to be the most modern in Central America at a cost of 85 million dollars.

Both countries are also negotiating towards a free-trade agreement. (dpa)