China trade accord with Swiss bucks wider trend towards protectionism — SkimNews
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- China and Switzerland will sign an upgraded trade accord in Beijing, giving 99.8% of Swiss exports duty-free access to China, a significant expansion from the previous 50%.
- Swiss officials state the deal corrects imbalances in the prior agreement and expands Swiss market access without granting new tariff benefits to Chinese industrial goods.
- Bernardino Regazzoni, former Swiss ambassador to China, said the deal allows China to showcase willingness to lower trade barriers with a European nation amid global protectionist trends.
- Roger Gschwend, a senior Swiss trade official, emphasized the agreement promotes a level playing field and reflects China’s signal of opening its markets further.
- Swiss industry representatives, including Swissmem and manufacturer Tecnopinz, welcomed the deal for bringing stability amid fragmented geopolitical trade conditions.
- US officials sought discussions with Swiss counterparts about the accord, though the Swiss government stated no specific concerns were formally raised.
Why it matters: Switzerland gains stronger access to China’s market at a time of rising US and EU trade barriers, while China uses the deal to position itself as a pro-trade alternative to US-led protectionism—without altering terms for Chinese exports to Switzerland.
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