FTA a 'strong signal' against protectionism: premier

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Johann Schneider-Ammann, Swiss Federal Councilor and head of the Swiss Federal Department of Economic Affairs, in Beijing, capital of China, July 6, 2013. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

A just-signed free trade agreement (FTA) between China and Switzerland sent the world a strong signal against trade protectionism and will serve as a positive example for China-Europe cooperation, Premier Li Keqiang said Saturday.

The FTA, the first of this kind inked between China and a country in continental Europe, is a milestone in the China-Switzerland relations, Li said during his meeting with Swiss Federal Councillor Johann Schneider-Ammann.

Schneider-Ammann and Chinese Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng signed the trade pact Saturday in Beijing, after over two years of negotiations and legal processes.

Li said advancing freedom and convenience in trade and investment could be "a good remedy" for the difficult recovery of the global economy.

He said China supports a multi-lateral trade system and believes that the trade between countries and regions as well as multi-lateral trade are equally important.

China is willing to work with all related parties to achieve progress in Doha round negotiations and help stabilize and revive world economy, he said.