Li Qiang Holds Talks with President of the Swiss Confederation Viola Amherd

Chinese Premier Li Qiang held talks with President of the Swiss Confederation Viola Amherd in Bern, Switzerland, on January 15, 2024.

Li Qiang said that since the establishment of diplomatic ties 74 years ago, bilateral relations have made great progress and set many “firsts.” In 2016, Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Swiss leader jointly announced the establishment of the China-switzerland innovative strategic partnership, which has provided important guidance for the development of bilateral relations. China is ready to work with Switzerland to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, further consolidate the foundation of political mutual trust, and carry forward the cooperative spirit of “equality, innovation, and mutual benefit.”

Li Qiang pointed out that China stands ready to continue to push for closer high-level exchanges with Switzerland and accelerate the resumption of exchanges at various levels and in diverse fields. Both sides should explore more converging interests, bolster cooperation in free trade, customs, and other fields, and foster and strengthen new growth areas of cooperation in green development, finance, and the digital economy.

Li also indicated the hope that the Swiss side will continue to provide an open, fair, and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises in Switzerland. China is willing to strengthen cooperation with Switzerland in the fields of cultural relics, education, youth, and sports.

Amherd said that Switzerland was one of the first countries to recognize the People’s Republic of China, noting that the Switzerland-china relationship enjoys a long history and rich connotations, and the bilateral business and investment cooperation has been continuously strengthened despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Amherd said that Switzerland stands ready to continue promoting quality bilateral dialogue with China, deepen cooperation in such fields as economy, trade, education, finance, science and technology, as well as people-to-people and cultural exchanges, jointly address global challenges, including climate change, public health and cyber security, and promote greater development of the Switzerland-china innovative strategic partnership in the Year of the Dragon.