Guy Parmelin to pay presidential visit to China and sign optimised free trade agreement
Berne, 26.10.2026 — President Guy Parmelin will meet with President Xi Jinping on Friday, 30 October, during a visit to China. Following the meeting, Switzerland and China will sign an optimised bilateral free trade agreement. The programme for the visit, which runs until Saturday, includes meetings with further members of the Chinese Government. Mr Parmelin will be accompanied on the trip by a Swiss business and scientific delegation.
The meeting with President Xi will focus on bilateral relations. The main topics to be addressed are economic and scientific cooperation, the signing of the enhanced free trade agreement and ten years of strategic partnership. Current international developments and issues relating to regional and global security will also be on the agenda.
President Parmelin will also hold talks with Trade Minister Wang Wentao, Social Affairs Minister Wang Xiaoping, Education Minister Huai Jinpeng and Science Minister Yin Hejun. Meetings with leading business representatives and the opening of the 10th Swiss-Chinese Economic Forum are also planned.
Negotiations on optimising the free trade agreement between Switzerland and China, which came into force in 2014, were concluded in August; the protocol amending the existing agreement is now to be signed. This is intended not only to improve access to the Chinese market for Swiss goods and investment, but also to strengthen environmental and labour protection standards.
Bilateral relations since 1950
Switzerland and China have maintained diplomatic relations since 1950. Switzerland was one of the first Western countries to recognise the newly founded People’s Republic. The 2014 free trade agreement was China’s first with a continental European country. Today China is Switzerland’s largest trade partner after the EU and the USA. China also ranks among the leaders in cooperation in education, research and innovation. In 2016 both countries agreed to designate their bilateral relations as an ‘Innovative Strategic Partnership’.
Switzerland and China are engaged in bilateral dialogues in almost 30 areas, which serve to discuss specific issues. These include high-level political consultations on economic affairs, human rights, migration, labour law, intellectual property, and financial issues. Further important areas of cooperation include science and technology, health and the environment.
Relations with China are a key component of the Federal Council’s Asia-G20 Strategy 2025–2028, which strengthens cooperation with key Asian partners in the areas of peace and security, prosperity and competitiveness, the environment, and democracy and governance.
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