An Airbus A350-900 receives a water salute after touching down at Zurich Airport on June 18, celebrating the launch of China Eastern Airlines' direct flight between Shanghai and Zurich.
China and Switzerland signed a protocol on the upgraded China-Switzerland free trade agreement in Beijing on Friday. Under the protocol, the two sides will, on the basis of the original FTA, make high-level opening commitments in goods, services and investment, and upgrade provisions on the rules of origin, trade facilitation, technical barriers to trade, digital trade, competition, and trade and sustainable development.
Under the arrangements, the two sides will each cut nearly 300 tariff lines on top of the original agreement, with duty-free products ultimately covering more than 99 percent of bilateral trade.
According to an official of the Department of International Trade and Economic Affairs of China's Ministry of Commerce, Switzerland is China's seventh-largest trading partner in Europe, and China is Switzerland's largest trading partner in Asia. In 2025, bilateral trade reached $49.04 billion.
China and Switzerland signed their FTA in 2013 — the first China signed with a country on the European continent. In September 2024, the two sides launched FTA upgrade negotiations. After five rounds, the two sides announced the conclusion of negotiations in August.
Following the signing of the protocol, both sides will complete their respective domestic legal approval procedures and work together to bring the protocol into effect as soon as possible.
Positive signal
On Oct 26, People's Daily published an essay by Qian Minjian, China's ambassador to Switzerland. In it, he noted that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Switzerland innovative strategic partnership.
Against a backdrop of rampant protectionism, this choice sends a positive signal of the two countries' joint commitment to free trade, demonstrating the pioneering and innovative character of the bilateral relationship.
In his essay, Qian noted that Switzerland was among the first Western countries to recognize the People's Republic of China. Over the 76 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the two countries have jointly nurtured a spirit of cooperation marked by "equality, innovation and win-win", becoming a model of friendly cooperation between countries with different social systems and at different stages of development.
Over the past decade, the two countries' innovation strengths have proved complementary, with cooperation becoming increasingly integrated. Switzerland possesses advanced technology and mature experience in biomedicine, high-end manufacturing and the green economy.
In recent years, as China's cutting-edge technology advances, many Swiss companies have deployed localized, autonomous artificial intelligence based on Chinese open-source large models. Cities such as Zurich have adopted Chinese technology to roll out intelligent and automated transport solutions.
The China-Switzerland cooperation programs of science and technology have completed three rounds of joint funding, supporting around 30 projects in fields including aerospace, life sciences and advanced manufacturing. Innovation-driven industrial cooperation between the two countries is flourishing.
The essay also noted that, as the first country on the European continent to sign an FTA with China, Switzerland has long been a front-runner among Western countries in economic and trade cooperation with China. Today, more than 1,000 Swiss enterprises are engaged in the Chinese market, with more than 2,600 cumulative investment projects in China and actual investment exceeding $12 billion.
China has remained Switzerland's third-largest trading partner for 12 consecutive years, with bilateral trade reaching approximately $65.14 billion in the first half of 2026, registering significant growth.
In the essay, Qian noted that the fundamental reason for the high-level development of China-Switzerland relations lies in the two sides' respect for each other's core interests and major concerns and their commitment to enhancing mutual understanding through exchanges and dialogue, building consensus for cooperation and achieving mutual benefit. This not only benefits both countries and their peoples but also enriches the substance of the innovative strategic partnership, creating broader space for China-Switzerland cooperation.
Deepening cooperation
As economic and trade ties between the two countries deepen, areas of cooperation such as culture and tourism are expanding, with innovation playing an increasingly prominent role.
At 7:41 am local time on June 18, an Airbus A350-900 carrying more than 260 passengers touched down at Zurich Airport and returned to Shanghai later that day. This marked the official launch of China Eastern Airlines' direct flight between Shanghai and Zurich.
Flights operate three times per week: on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. On the inaugural flight, Shanghai's cultural and tourism features were integrated into the cabin service and flight experience, showcasing the charm of Shanghai-style culture.
Zurich Airport welcomed the flight with a water salute. China Eastern Airlines held launch ceremonies at both Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Zurich Airport, handing out commemorative gifts such as airplane plush toys to passengers on the maiden flight.
The Shanghai-Zurich route is China Eastern Airlines' second route in Switzerland, following the Shanghai-Geneva route launched in 2025. China Eastern Airlines is now the only Chinese airline to operate a nonstop route between China and Zurich.
On July 27, the culture, radio, television, tourism and sports bureau of Shenzhen held an Amazing Shenzhen cultural-tourism promotion event in Verbier, at the foot of the Swiss Alps, officially announcing that the Shenzhen Verbier Festival 2027 will be held in Shenzhen from Feb 9 to 18,2027.
The promotion event coincided with the 10th anniversary of the China-Switzerland innovative strategic partnership, drawing more than 60 representatives of European cultural-tourism institutions and media.
Verbier boasts more than 400 kilometers of ski slopes and a mature mountain resort operation system, while Shenzhen is home to the Qianhai Snow World, a major indoor winter-sports and cultural-tourism project.
The two sides reached multiple cooperation intentions on tourist exchange, ski training and shared ski-resort operation experience.
During his visit to China, Swiss Confederation President Guy Parmelin witnessed on Friday the signing of the upgraded FTA. He said that Switzerland takes pride in being among the first Western countries to recognize the People's Republic of China. This decision has laid the foundation for a lasting and dynamic partnership between the two countries.
Parmelin said the swift conclusion of the FTA upgrade negotiations reflects the high level of mutual trust between the two countries and meets the expectations of businesses and all stakeholders on both sides. The upgraded agreement, he added, will give renewed momentum to the development of Switzerland-China relations.
