Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with President of the Swiss Confederation Guy Parmelin, who is paying a working visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 30, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)
BEIJING, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with President of the Swiss Confederation Guy Parmelin in Beijing on Friday, calling on both countries to inject confidence and more certainty into China-Europe economic and trade cooperation as well as into the global economic development.
Noting Switzerland is an important partner of China in Europe, Xi said Swiss cooperation with China has always been at the forefront among European countries. He added that free trade cooperation has become the brightest highlight of China-Switzerland relations, which fully demonstrates the political courage and responsibility of the two countries in adhering to open cooperation, and highlights the unique leading role of both sides in promoting the building of an open world economy.
China is willing to work with Switzerland to uphold openness, strengthen cooperation, promote a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and jointly inject confidence and more certainty into the economic and trade cooperation between China and European countries, as well as into the global economic development, Xi said.
Since the establishment of diplomatic ties, China and Switzerland have continuously translated the China-Switzerland cooperation spirit, featuring equality, innovation and win-win results, into pragmatic outcomes, setting a model for interactions between countries of different sizes and with different social systems, Xi pointed out.
He said the two sides should respect each other, treat each other as equals, and comprehensively enhance exchanges and policy alignment at different levels.
Noting that China is accelerating the development of new quality productive forces and steadily expanding institutional opening up, Xi said the country is ready to turn its market into a market for the world and a shared market for all.
Both sides should adhere to mutual benefit and win-win results, strengthen innovation cooperation and focus on fostering cooperation in emerging industries, including digital economy, green energy storage and artificial intelligence, he added.
Xi expressed hope that Switzerland would leverage its unique influence to actively promote balanced and stable development of trade between China and European countries.
As China and Switzerland share similar positions and concepts in supporting multilateralism, Xi said both sides should deepen multilateral coordination and mutual support, firmly uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law, reform and improve the global governance system, and advance the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.
Parmelin said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations, Switzerland and China have always respected each other, maintained close high-level exchanges, and achieved fruitful cooperation results in many fields such as trade and investment, scientific research and innovation, and employment.
Noting that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of Switzerland-China innovative strategic partnership, Parmelin said that the two sides have successfully completed negotiations on signing a protocol on upgrading free trade agreement in a short period of time with high quality, demonstrating a high level of mutual trust between the two sides, which will inject new impetus into bilateral relations.
Switzerland firmly adheres to the one-China policy and looks forward to strengthening dialogue and exchanges with China, upholding mutually beneficial cooperation, and promoting greater development in cooperation in various fields, he said.
The Swiss side attaches great importance to the positive role played by China in international affairs and is willing to closely coordinate with China, adhere to multilateralism, safeguard free trade, and contribute to world development, prosperity, peace and stability, Parmelin added.
After their meeting, the two leaders witnessed the signing of the protocol on upgrading free trade agreement and multiple cooperation documents in areas like scientific research, employment and the media. ■
Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with President of the Swiss Confederation Guy Parmelin, who is paying a working visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 30, 2026. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)
Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with President of the Swiss Confederation Guy Parmelin, who is paying a working visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 30, 2026. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)
