Switzerland-China New free trade agreement with China still 2025, according to Aeschi

The revised free trade agreement between Switzerland and China is due to come into force in 2025. This is the assumption of Thomas Aeschi, SVP National Councillor from Zug and President of the EU-Efta delegation. He will be in China with Swiss parliamentarians until Saturday.

Bern wants to revise the modalities of the agreement, in particular the export of its products, which is still subject to high taxes. A new agreement should be reached within the next twelve months, Aeschi told the Keystone-SDA news agency on Thursday.

Switzerland and China officially launched the resumption of negotiations on the free trade agreement signed in 2014 in September. In particular, Switzerland wants to review the tariff concessions for the products it exports. For example, millions in customs duties are still being paid on Swiss watches that are shipped to China.

China, for its part, wants Swiss investment to continue and more Swiss companies to set up in China, said Aeschi. The delegation's trip was a preparation for concrete negotiations between the two parties, who have so far only met virtually.

This made the meeting with Deputy Minister of Commerce Wang Shouwen all the more important. With a trade volume of CHF 33 billion, China is Switzerland's third most important trading partner.

The Swiss parliamentarians' program in Beijing also includes a courtesy visit to the Vice Chairman of the National People's Congress, Xiao Jie.

Aeschi will be joined on the trip to China by Elisabeth Schneider-Schneiter, a member of the National Council from Basel, Hans-Peter Portmann, a member of the FDP National Council from Zurich, and Carlo Sommaruga, a member of the SP Council of States from Geneva.

SDA