China–Switzerland talks consider visa-free travel between the two countries

Xinhua reports that Bern and Beijing agreed to an early launch of formal negotiations to expand a free trade agreement that has been in place since 2013.

China also agreed to provide a unilateral visa-free policy for Swiss citizens, it said.

Premier Li Qiang headed the Chinese delegation, greeted by Swiss President and Defence Minister Viola Amherd upon his arrival on Sunday at Zurich airport.

The Swiss government said in a statement that both sides “discussed the deep and wide-ranging bilateral relations characterised by dialogue on around 30 issues, as well as a range of current international affairs”.

With China sustaining its place as the most important trading partner of Switzerland’s in Asia, and the third most important worldwide after the European Union and the US, trade and economic relations are likely to have been the biggest focus of the talks.

Bern described the signing of a joint declaration on how to further develop the free trade agreement between the countries as “an important step towards the start of possible negotiations”.

From 1 December 2023 until 30 November 2024, citizens from six countries including France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia are allowed to visit China for up to 15 days for business or leisure without obtaining a visa. In accordance with recent discussions, Switzerland could be the seventh country to receive this benefit from China.