China, Switzerland conclude free-trade deal negotiations

China and Switzerland have concluded negotiations to upgrade their free-trade agreement, a deal that will eliminate Chinese tariffs on nearly all Swiss exports, reports Caixin. The move seeks to solidify Beijing’s economic ties in Europe amid escalating trade tensions with the EU.

The upgraded pact, announced in Bern by Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao and Swiss President Guy Parmelin, will allow 99.8% of Swiss goods to enter China duty-free. The agreement rectifies an imbalance in the original 2014 treaty, which granted zero-tariff treatment to almost all Chinese exports to Switzerland but applied the same benefit to only about half of Swiss goods entering China.

The successful conclusion of the talks, which began in September 2024, comes as China navigates an increasingly fraught global trade landscape. By deepening ties with Switzerland—a non-EU member state closely integrated with the European economy via the Schengen Area—Beijing is signaling its intent to maintain a robust continental footprint despite ongoing tariff disputes with Brussels.