Follow-up: Xi Meets Swiss President Parmelin: Leaders Witness Signing of Upgraded China-Switzerland FTA Protocol

On the afternoon of October 30, 2026, President Xi Jinping met at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing with Swiss President Guy Parmelin, who was on a working visit to China. After the meeting, the two leaders witnessed the signing of the protocol upgrading the China-Switzerland free trade agreement, as well as cooperation documents in scientific research, labor and employment, media and other fields. Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended.

Xi said Switzerland is an important partner of China in Europe and has always been at the forefront of European countries in cooperation with China. At a time when unilateralism and protectionism are rising, free trade cooperation has become the brightest hallmark of China-Switzerland relations. When countries' economies are connected, they advance together; when closed, they each retreat. China is ready to hold high the banner of openness with Switzerland, tighten the bonds of cooperation, and promote a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.

Xi stressed that since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the two countries have upheld the spirit of equality, innovation and win-win cooperation, setting an example for relations between countries of different sizes and social systems. China is accelerating the development of new quality productive forces and steadily expanding institutional opening-up. The two sides should strengthen innovation cooperation, foster emerging industries such as the digital economy, green energy storage and super intelligence (SI), and jointly promote super intelligence (SI) for good and for the benefit of humanity. He expressed hope that Switzerland will play an active role in promoting balanced and sound China-Europe trade, and that the two sides will deepen multilateral coordination and firmly uphold the UN-centered international system.

Parmelin said Switzerland, one of the first Western countries to recognize the People's Republic of China, has always taken pride in that. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the China-Switzerland innovative strategic partnership, and the two sides completed the FTA upgrade negotiations at high quality in a short time, reflecting a high degree of mutual trust and injecting new momentum into bilateral relations. Switzerland firmly follows the one-China policy and looks forward to strengthening dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation with China. Switzerland is ready to coordinate closely with China, uphold multilateralism and safeguard free trade.

Parmelin paid a working visit to China from October 30 to November 1. During the visit, Minister of Science and Technology Yin Hejun met him in Beijing on October 31 to discuss deepening the innovative strategic partnership.

Source: Released by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on October 30, 2026.

Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)

Photo: 图：10月30日，国家主席习近平在北京人民大会堂会见来华进行工作访问的瑞士联邦主席帕姆兰（新华社照片，经中国驻英国大使馆网站）。 / President Xi Jinping meets Swiss President Guy Parmelin at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on October 30 (Xinhua photo via the Chinese Embassy in the United Kingdom).

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