Bob Savic is head of international trade at the Global Policy Institute in London and visiting professor of international relations at the University of Nottingham.
China has framed its relationship with Switzerland as a model of practical, mutually beneficial cooperation at a time when its broader ties with the European Union remain more complicated and politically charged.
Just before Swiss President Guy Parmelin’s recent visit to Beijing, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman noted that 2026 marks the 10th anniversary of the China-Switzerland innovative strategic partnership, with adherence to free trade singled out as its principal highlight.
Switzerland’s importance to Beijing lies partly in its symbolic and commercial roles.