China and Switzerland advanced efforts to deepen economic ties this week, concluding the fourth round of negotiations on upgrading their Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in Switzerland from Tuesday to Thursday, according to China’s Ministry of Commerce.
Officials from both sides engaged in intensive talks covering trade in goods and services, investment, rules of origin, trade facilitation, e-commerce, environment, and economic and technical cooperation, achieving what the ministry described as "positive progress."
Signed in July 2013 and implemented a year later, the Sino-Swiss FTA has been pivotal in boosting bilateral trade and investment growth. In September 2024, the two countries formally launched negotiations to modernize and expand the pact.
Fourth round of Sino-Swiss FTA upgrade negotiations held in Switzerland
Footage shot in the Iranian capital Tehran showed Iran intercepting missiles launched by Israel with explosions seen occurring in the night sky above the city, as the conflict entered its seventh day on Friday.
Israel's military announced that it had launched a "broad-scale" wave of airstrikes against Iranian government infrastructure in Tehran.
Iran's military said it had launched fresh missile attacks toward Israel late on Thursday, with damage being reported in several locations in central Israel.
In an interview with U.S. broadcaster NBC News which aired Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said Iran is not requesting a ceasefire with the United States and Israel, and does not see any reason to negotiate with Washington.
Iran said on Thursday that the Navy of its Islamic Revolution Guards Corps targeted the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier with drones 340 km off the country's territorial waters in the Gulf of Oman.
The crisis erupted following joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Tehran and several other Iranian cities starting Saturday morning, which led to the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, some of his family members, top military commanders, and civilians. More than 1,230 people have been killed by the strikes as of Thursday.
Footage shows Iran intercepting Israeli missiles in night skies over Tehran
