As staunch advocates of multilateralism and free trade, China and Switzerland should act together against anti-globalization trends and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of all countries, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said. Wang made the remarks during a meeting with Swiss Federal Councilor and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis in Beijing on Thursday. Cassis is on a working visit to China.
At a time when the international environment has become uncertain and unstable, Wang stressed that the world order must not be allowed to return to the “law of the jungle”. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Switzerland. Switzerland was one of the first Western countries to recognize the People’s Republic of China and establish diplomatic relations. Wang Yi said the two countries should maintain high-level contacts, develop relations on the basis of mutual respect and equality, and strengthen cooperation by moving beyond differences. Stating that the process of updating the free trade agreement between the two countries should be accelerated, Wang called for the effective use of existing dialogue mechanisms to create a broader cooperation ground. Stating that China welcomes more Swiss companies to invest in the Chinese market, Wang said that they expect Switzerland to continue to provide an open, fair and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies. Swiss Foreign Minister Cassis said that the international community must strengthen its solidarity, jointly defend multilateralism and free trade, and protect the rules-based international order. Switzerland is ready to strengthen communication with China in this area and increase cooperation in tackling global challenges, Cassis said.
https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202504/24/WS680a4021a3104d9fd382167d.html
