Chinese President Xi Jinping met with President of the Swiss Confederation Guy Parmelin in Beijing on Friday, calling on both countries to inject confidence and more certainty into China-Europe economic and trade cooperation as well as into the global economic development.
Noting Switzerland is an important partner of China in Europe, Xi said Swiss cooperation with China has always been at the forefront among European countries. He added that free trade cooperation has become the brightest highlight of China-Switzerland relations, which fully demonstrates the political courage and responsibility of the two countries in adhering to open cooperation, and highlights the unique leading role of both sides in promoting the building of an open world economy.
Economies move forward when interconnected, and backward when closed off, he said.
China is willing to work with Switzerland to uphold openness, strengthen cooperation, promote a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and jointly inject confidence and more certainty into the economic and trade cooperation between China and European countries, as well as into the global economic development, Xi said.
Since the establishment of diplomatic relationship, China and Switzerland have helped each other succeed and taken the lead in collaboration, he said.
Both sides have continued to demonstrate the spirit of equality, innovation and mutual benefit that characterizes bilateral cooperation through practical outcomes, setting a model for exchanges between countries of different sizes and with different social systems, Xi said.
He called on both sides to uphold mutual respect and equality, and to strengthen exchanges at all levels and policy alignment across the board. China is accelerating the development of new quality productive forces and steadily expanding institutional opening up, and is ready to build the Chinese market into a global market shared by all.
The two sides should adhere to mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, and jointly turn the blueprint for cooperation into tangible outcomes, Xi said.
He called for greater cooperation on innovation and joint efforts to foster collaboration in emerging industries such as the digital economy, green energy storage and artificial intelligence.
Both countries should build high-quality industrial and supply chains featuring synergy, innovation and shared benefits, and jointly advance the development of AI that is for the positive, for good and for humanity, Xi said.
Nothing that Switzerland has long played a major exemplary role in China-EU economic and trade exchanges, Xi expressed the hope that Switzerland can leverage its unique influence and play a positive role in promoting upward balance and sustainable development of China-EU trade.
China and Switzerland share similar positions and visions in defending multilateralism, he said, calling on both sides to deepen multilateral coordination and step up mutual support. They should also firmly uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law, contribute to reforming and improving the global governance system, and jointly promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, Xi said.
Parmelin said Switzerland has always felt deeply proud as one of the first Western countries to recognize the People's Republic of China, saying that this has led to a lasting and dynamic partnership between the two countries.
Since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the two sides have always respected each other, maintained close high-level exchanges, and achieved fruitful cooperation results across many fields such as trade and investment, scientific research and innovation, and employment, he said.
This year, which marks the 10th anniversary of the Switzerland-China innovative strategic partnership, has seen both sides completing negotiations on upgrading the free trade agreement in a short period of time at high standards, Parmelin said.
This reflects the high level of mutual trust between the two sides and meets the expectations of businesses and all sectors in both countries, and will inject new momentum into the development of bilateral relations, he said.
Switzerland firmly adheres to the one-China policy, and looks forward to strengthening dialog and exchanges and upholding mutually beneficial cooperation with China to promote greater development of cooperation in various fields, he said.
The Swiss side attaches great importance to the active role China plays in international affairs and is ready to work closely with China to uphold multilateralism, safeguard free trade, and contribute to global development, prosperity, peace and stability, Parmelin said.
After their meeting, the two leaders witnessed the signing of a protocol on upgrading free trade agreement and multiple cooperation documents in areas such as scientific research, employment and the media.
Xi meets president of Swiss Confederation, calling for more certainty for China-Europe economic, trade cooperation
Xi meets president of Swiss Confederation, calling for more certainty for China-Europe economic, trade cooperation
