The Zhitong Finance App learned that on August 20, Swiss Federal President and Minister of Economy, Education and Research Pamlan met with Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao in Bern to jointly announce the completion of negotiations to upgrade the China-Switzerland Free Trade Agreement and sign a memorandum of understanding. Chinese Ambassador to Switzerland Qian Minjian and Swiss Ambassador to China Ma Ting attended the event. After the upgrade negotiations are completed, the two sides will step up implementation of their respective domestic procedures so that the upgrade protocol can be formally signed as soon as possible.
The original text is as follows:
China and Switzerland announce completion of FTA upgrade negotiations
On August 20, Swiss Federal President and Minister of Economy, Education and Research Pamlan met with Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao in Bern to jointly announce the completion of negotiations to upgrade the China-Switzerland Free Trade Agreement and sign a memorandum of understanding. Chinese Ambassador to Switzerland Qian Minjian and Swiss Ambassador to China Ma Ting attended the event.
Wang Wentao said that in January 2026, President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to President Pamlan, stressing that China is willing to work with Switzerland to continue to expand mutually beneficial cooperation and push Sino-Swiss relations to a new level. In September 2024, China and Switzerland began negotiations to upgrade the FTA. Thanks to the joint efforts of both sides, after five rounds of negotiations, the upgrade negotiations were successfully completed. The two sides promised a higher level of two-way openness in various fields such as goods, services, investment, and rules, which will create new opportunities for economic and trade cooperation between the two countries. Switzerland is an important partner of China, and cooperation with China has always been at the forefront. In the current uncertain international environment, this also shows the clear attitude of the two sides choosing certainty and supporting free trade. This year marks the beginning of China's “15th Five-Year Plan” and the 10th anniversary of the establishment of an innovative strategic partnership between China and Switzerland. China's Ministry of Commerce is willing to work with the Swiss Federal Ministry of Economy, Education and Research to implement the important consensus between the leaders of the two countries, complete the formal signing and implementation of the upgrade agreement as soon as possible, promote the upgrading of the quality of economic and trade relations between the two countries, and better benefit the enterprises and people of the two countries.
Pamran said that Switzerland and China have close cooperation and dynamic economic and trade relations, and the Swiss government and industry attach great importance to economic and trade cooperation with China. The free trade agreement has played an important role in cooperation between the two countries. The successful upgrade of the agreement is another important milestone in the development of bilateral relations. It will provide more stable, transparent, and predictable institutional guarantees for the long-term development of enterprises of the two countries. It also sends a positive signal that the two sides promote open cooperation, free trade, and maintain a rules-based international economic and trade environment. The Swiss side is willing to use the FTA upgrade as an opportunity to continue to expand trade and investment cooperation with China, continue to deepen innovative strategic partnerships, and continue to provide an open, fair and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises to operate in Switzerland.
The Sino-Swiss FTA was signed in July 2013 and implemented in July 2014. It is the first free trade agreement signed between China and mainland European countries. After the upgrade negotiations are completed, the two sides will step up implementation of their respective domestic procedures so that the upgrade protocol can be formally signed as soon as possible.
This article was selected from the “Ministry of Commerce” official website, Zhitong Finance Editor: Chen Siyu.