Relationship dossier
People's Republic of China
Switzerland
Relationship assessment
A durable partnership centered on trade, with political and economic disagreements
People's Republic of China toward Switzerland
+35China has pursued bilateral economic cooperation with Switzerland through the China–Switzerland Free Trade Agreement, in force since 2014, and the strategic partnership established in 2016. These arrangements provide a concrete foundation for ongoing cooperation, alongside differences over human rights and economic issues.
Switzerland toward People's Republic of China
+35Switzerland has pursued trade and broader bilateral cooperation with China through the free trade agreement in force since 2014 and the strategic partnership established in 2016. Swiss policy has also raised concerns over human rights and aspects of economic relations.
Overall relationship
+35The relationship rests on durable trade and partnership arrangements, including a bilateral free trade agreement and a strategic partnership. Those frameworks support sustained practical cooperation, but do not remove disagreements over human rights and economic relations.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
China and Switzerland maintain a substantially cooperative relationship, supported by a bilateral free trade agreement and a strategic partnership. Cooperation spans trade and other bilateral dialogue, while differences over human rights and economic issues remain. The relationship combines durable practical cooperation with areas of political disagreement.
Areas of tension
- Swiss concerns about human rights in China, including issues relating to Xinjiang and Hong Kong.
- Differences over economic relations, including market access and trade conditions.
Key developments
China and Switzerland signed a bilateral free trade agreement.
The China–Switzerland Free Trade Agreement entered into force.
China and Switzerland established a strategic partnership.
Major uncertainties
- The extent and implementation of cooperation under the strategic partnership are unclear.
- The current scope of bilateral dialogue on human rights and trade issues is unclear.