FDFA state secretary in Beijing for political dialogue between Switzerland and China
Bern, 26.06.2026 — On 26 June 2026, Alexandre Fasel, the state secretary of the FDFA, was in Beijing for the political dialogue between Switzerland and China. He held talks with Hua Chunying, vice minister of foreign affairs of the People's Republic of China. The discussions focused on bilateral relations, economic, scientific and financial cooperation, and a number of regional and international issues.
Against a backdrop of growing geopolitical tensions, increasing fragmentation of the international order and far-reaching economic and technological changes, Switzerland and China emphasised the importance of dialogue and cooperation. Both parties noted that maintaining open channels of communication and regular dialogues helps to enhance the predictability of international relations and facilitate the search for solutions to global challenges.
Switzerland believes that dialogue with all its partners, including the major powers, remains essential for promoting stability, prosperity and respect for international law in a changing international environment.
Innovative strategic partnership
The discussions marked the tenth anniversary of the Switzerland–China innovative strategic partnership, which was established in 2016. The two delegations reviewed the main developments that have taken place over the last decade and restated their commitment to continuing pragmatic cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
Both parties also confirmed their commitment to continuing preparations for the next strategic dialogue at foreign minister level, which is due to take place in China later this year. Human rights issues and the importance of continuing the dialogue on this subject were also discussed.
Economic, scientific and financial cooperation
Economic cooperation was a key focus of the discussions. China remains one of Switzerland's main economic partners in Asia, while Switzerland remains an important partner for Chinese companies operating in Europe.
Discussions focused in particular on the ongoing work to optimise the free trade agreement between Switzerland and China. Both parties emphasised the importance of having a modern economic framework that is adapted to developments in international trade, in order to strengthen bilateral trade and create new opportunities for businesses in both countries.
The delegations also reviewed the state of relations in the scientific, technological and financial fields. They welcomed the intense exchange between research institutions, universities and businesses in both countries, as well as the progress made in implementing the various bilateral technical dialogues.
Regional and international issues
Both parties also shared their analyses of the current major security challenges, notably in the Middle East and Ukraine but also including the situation on the Korean Peninsula, and discussed how to support regional and international stability. The situation concerning Taiwan/Chinese Taipei was also addressed.
Switzerland and China reaffirmed the importance of multilateralism in tackling global challenges. Discussions focused on cooperation within the United Nations – particularly in International Geneva – and other organisations, as well as on efforts to strengthen mechanisms for dialogue and the peaceful settlement of disputes.