The 7th China International Import Expo (CIIE), one of the world's largest trade fairs, has created new trade possibilities between Switzerland and China, providing a valuable gateway for Swiss businesses to enter the Chinese market, Swiss Ambassador to China Jurg Burri said on Wednesday.
Running from Nov 5 to 10, the 7th CIIE attracted nearly 3,500 exhibitors from 129 countries and regions.
The CIIE held an exchange event for the first time this year for organizers of all parties participating in the country exhibitions, fostering mutual learning among cultures and promoting global economic and trade cooperation.
This year marks Switzerland's seventh consecutive participation in the event, with nearly 80 Swiss companies showcasing their products, a record high. The Swiss pavilion exhibits a broad range of items, from food and wine to high-end intelligent manufacturing.
For the Swiss Ambassador, new trade partnerships and market opportunities are the major gains he expected from this session of the CIIE.
"If I think of words, I must say new contacts, market possibilities, and lots of new stuff. This CIIE has brought 78 Swiss companies to China, and this figure is considerably higher than the last CIIE or the CIIE before. So these are companies which are probably new to the Chinese market, who are making first contacts here, testing their products. Maybe they find a distributor, maybe they find customers and that will bring more Swiss products into China. We have more than 1,000 Swiss companies in China, and they have big stands, and they produce here in China. They are trying to show what Swiss and Chinese can do together, and their innovative products are being presented at the CIIE," said Burri.
At this year’s CIIE, the Swiss pavilion's food and agricultural products exhibition area, covering 270 square meters, is the largest they've had so far, featuring specialties like chocolate, cookies, coffee, and wine. In addition, advanced manufacturing products, including the latest medical equipment and healthcare items from well-known Swiss global brands, also stand out at the expo.
"I saw robots that can serve wine. The robot is so smart that the wine will never fall out of the glass. He is able to handle it. I had a very good Swiss cheese from Ticino, a very pure mountain cheese. I got to taste this cheese that was offered at CIIE or cookies or whatever, because the CIIE is everything. You can buy everything, from a car to baby cream. It's a nice feeling to go to a fair. It's one of the world's biggest fairs. You see new producers from all over the world," said the ambassador.
Customs data showed that in 2023, the total import and export trade between China and Switzerland reached 416.93 billion yuan (about 58 billion U.S. dollars), up nine percent year on year.
Currently, China is Switzerland's third-largest trading partner, and according to Burri, cooperation between the two countries, including trade and cultural exchange, is expected to grow closer in the future.
"We are still growing. We have good business figures and, mostly, we have good prospects. And that should even deepen the economic relations. Trade is very an important thing because, through products, you get to know a country. Trade brings human relations. We do have more and more Chinese visitors to Switzerland again, and I think that's a positive thing. And it will be our 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year. And that will bring many cultural productions from Switzerland to China, and I guess, also many cultural productions from China into Switzerland," he said.
Swiss ambassador emphasizes CIIE's role in boosting trade with China
