GENEVA, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Most Swiss residents oppose making concessions to the United States despite heavy tariffs expected to hit the Swiss economy, Swiss media reported Wednesday, citing a new survey.
The survey, conducted by the market research institute YouGov from August 5 to 11, polled 1,260 people in Switzerland.
Almost two-thirds of respondents said Switzerland should not allow itself to be put under pressure, even if this means facing an import tariff rate of 39 percent.
While two-thirds of respondents expect the new tariffs to significantly damage the economy, just 5 percent believe the Swiss economy will suffer little or no damage as a result.
In addition, half of those surveyed believe Switzerland should focus more on its own products in the future, even though this could lead to higher prices in the country.
The survey also found that 41 percent of respondents were against Swiss companies making major investments in the U.S., while only 15 percent were in favour.
The new U.S. tariffs, which came into force on August 7, place "a substantial strain" on Switzerland's export-oriented economy, the Swiss government said. Nearly 60 percent of Swiss exports to the U.S. are subject to the new tariffs. ■