SAN JOSE - Visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping met his Costa Rican counterpart Laura Chinchilla here Monday for talks on the development of bilateral ties.

The Chinese leader attended a welcoming ceremony hosted by Chinchilla before they started talks.

The two presidents are scheduled to witness the signing of cooperation deals by representatives of the two countries following their talks.

According to a packed schedule, Xi is also expected to visit a local farmer's family later in the day.

China and Cost Rica established diplomatic ties in 2007. The two countries have scored fruitful achievements in their friendly cooperation in such fields as politics, economy and people-to-people exchanges in recent years.

Last August, Chinchilla paid a state visit to China, which injected new impetus to the comprehensive development of bilateral relations.

Xi is currently on the second leg of a four-nation trip, which will also take him to Mexico and the United States. He has already visited Trinidad and Tobago.

This is Xi's first trip to Latin America after becoming the president in March.

"The purpose of the visit is to deepen the traditional friendship between China and Latin America and expand their mutually beneficial cooperation," said the Chinese president in a joint written interview with the media of Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica and Mexico ahead of his visits to the three countries.

"I am confident that the visit will give a strong boost to the China-Latin America comprehensive and cooperative partnership featuring equality, mutual benefit and common development," Xi said.

After his Latin America trip, Xi will travel to California for a summit meeting with his US counterpart Barack Obama.