Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
GENEVA, May 10 (Xinhua) — Senior leaders of China and Switzerland on Friday vowed to strengthen ties, safeguard free trade and accelerate talks to update the free trade agreement between the two countries amid global challenges.
This was announced during a meeting between the President of the Swiss Confederation Karin Keller-Sutter and the Vice President of the Swiss Federal Council Guy Parmelin with the Vice Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China He Lifeng on Friday in Geneva, Switzerland.
He Lifeng conveyed greetings from Chinese leaders and a personal letter from Chinese Premier Li Qiang to Keller-Sutter. The Vice Prime Minister of China noted that under the strategic leadership of the leaders of the two countries, over the 75 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Switzerland, interstate relations have become more mature and stable day by day.
As He Lifeng stated, the two sides have achieved continuously growing complementarity of their economies and fruitful results in trade and investment.
The Vice Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China noted that in the current complex and tense international situation, China and Switzerland should strengthen ties and consensus, and work together to overcome challenges.
The two sides should work together to safeguard free trade and open markets, promote early and substantial progress in the bilateral free trade agreement update negotiations, and contribute to global peace, stability and economic prosperity, he said.
K. Keller-Sutter, for her part, said that Switzerland and China have maintained close, high-level exchanges in recent years. She expressed Switzerland’s readiness to use the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations as an opportunity to successfully hold the Swiss-Chinese Year of Culture and Tourism together with China.
K. Keller-Sutter added that the Swiss side will actively develop exchanges with China at all levels, deepen practical cooperation in various fields, in order to take bilateral relations to a new level.
Mr. Parmelin, in turn, pointed out that Switzerland supports multilateralism and free trade and hopes to accelerate negotiations with China on upgrading the free trade area with the aim of quickly achieving a more comprehensive and ambitious agreement that will provide greater benefits for businesses and people in both countries.
He assured that the country will also deepen trade and economic cooperation with China in all areas and maintain the stability of global production and supply chains. –0–