BILATERAL RELATIONS BETWEEN SWITZERLAND AND CHINA
THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC IS ONE OF SWITZERLAND’S MOST IMPORTANT TRADING PARTNERS IN ASIA, AS IS EVIDENCED BY THE VISITS PAID TO SWITZERLAND BY HIGH-RANKING CHINESE FIGURES AND VICE VERSA.
SWITZERLAND IS ONE OF THE FEW WESTERN COUNTRIES TO HAVE A POSITIVE BALANCE OF TRADE WITH THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC. THE TWO COUNTRIES HAVE CONDUCTED A HUMAN-RIGHTS DIALOGUE SINCE 1991.
Key aspects of diplomatic relations
In 2007 Switzerland and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the intensification of political consultations and the further deepening of bilateral relations. Close contacts have also been established at the civil-society level – with local authorities, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions and artists’ groups. In 2010 both countries celebrated the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations.
Economic cooperation
In January 2011, negotiations for a bilateral free trade agreement were launched (5th round of negotiations May 2012). Since 2002 Switzerland has enjoyed a positive balance of trade with China (exports 2011: 14.7 billion USD; imports 2011: 7.4 billion USD). Questions that are of importance for Switzerland relate primarily to market access and intellectual property rights.
During an official working visit in 2009, Prime Minister Wen Jiabao expressed the wish to enter into a bilateral financial dialogue with Switzerland. Since then the People's Bank of China (PBoC) has been responsible for coordinating the financial dialogue on the Chinese side. In October 2011, the Federal Department of Finance (FDF) and the PBoC agreed on an MoU, that was approved on the part of Switzerland by the Federal Council in November 2011.
Cooperation in the domain of education
13 million CHF has been budgeted for the bilateral science and research programme 2008–2012. The State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) operates a Swissnex location in Shanghai which promotes the networking of educational institutions in both countries. In the academic year 2011–2012, over 1000 Chinese students were enrolled at Swiss universities. Scholars and artists from China can apply to the SERI for Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships.
Peacebuilding and human security
The last round of the human rights dialogue was held in July 2008 in Beijing. Since then a number of projects have been implemented, which form part of the dialogue. Individual cases are also regularly brought up for discussion within the framework of the dialogue.
In terms of content the human rights dialogue concentrates on:
• Criminal law, criminal proceedings, administration of punishment
• Minorities, religious freedom
• The economy and human rights
• International human rights questions
Other instruments also enable progress to be made in the area of human rights: for instance bilateral demarches on specific questions, the commitment within multilateral organizations, in particular the UN Commission on Human Rights, or cooperation with specialized non-government organisations (NGOs).
Swiss nationals in China
In 2011 there were 722 Swiss nationals resident in China, of whom 239 held dual citizenship.
Cultural exchanges
Numerous cultural projects, such as the festival “Culturescapes” which exhibited modern and traditional Chines art in Switzerland for three months, were organized as part of the anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2010, which also coincided with the anniversary of the People's Republic of China.
History of bilateral relations
In the mid-17th century traders and missionaries from Switzerland established contact with the Chinese Empire. Trading relations developed at a rapid pace in the second half of the 18th century, leading to the opening of a Swiss trading agency in Shanghai in 1912.
The first official contacts between the two countries were made in 1906. Relations between Switzerland and the Republic of China were codified in a treaty of friendship in 1918, a few years after the fall of the Qing dynasty.
Switzerland recognized the newly-established People’s Republic of China on 17 January 1950, one of the first Western states to do so. It simultaneously withdrew recognition from the Republic of China (Taiwan). Contacts with the People’s Republic were not initially close, owing to internal turmoil in China and the Cold War. The People’s Republic made its first appearance on the international stage when Chinese premier Chou En-lai took part in the Indochina Conference in Geneva in 1954.
Bilateral relations between Switzerland and China have developed at a brisk pace since Deng Xiaoping launched his policy of liberalization and reform in 1979. In 1991 Switzerland became the first country to enter into a human rights dialogue with China.
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