Completion of Sino-Swiss FTA talks 'historic event'

The completion of free trade talks between China and Switzerland is a historic event in China-Switzerland economic and trade cooperation, Chinese Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng said in Bern Friday.

Gao, who just signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on concluding the free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with Swiss Economics Minister Johann Schneider-Ammann, said it marked a significant achievement for China's acceleration of implementing its FTA strategy.

He told reporters that an FTA agreed by both sides showed their resolution and confidence in deepening bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

"It showed China's resolution and confidence in continuing the expansion of its opening-up, as well as that in actively participating in economic globalization and regional economic integration," he said.

Gao said the FTA would be one of the most comprehensive and high-level accords China has signed with a foreign country in recent years.

The agreement will cover many new rules, such as on environment, labor and employment cooperation, intellectual property rights, and information exchanges on government procurement, according to Gao.

He said that the Chinese government will take the conclusion of FTA talks as an opportunity to further enhance the mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation between China and Switzerland, as well as that between China and Europe.

The MOU was signed during a meeting between visiting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Swiss President Ueli Maurer.