Xi meets with 'old friend of Chinese people'

Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) holds a welcoming ceremony for Swiss President Johann Schneider-Ammann before their talks in Beijing, China, April 8, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

Xi spoke highly of the Sino-Swiss free trade agreement. Enacted in July 2014, it was China's first free trade pact with a country on the European continent. Xi said it has "set an example for Sino-European cooperation".

Schneider-Ammann said that Switzerland would like to enhance communication with China in areas including science, environmental protection, finance and education. Switzerland wants to participate in the construction of China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative as well as the AIIB.

Schneider-Ammann arrived in China for his state visit on Thursday. Before meeting with Xi, he talked on Thursday with Premier Li Keqiang, the ministers of commerce and of science and technology, as well as the head of the Construction Bank of China. He is scheduled to fly to Shanghai on Saturday to meet with businesspeople there before returning home that day.

Wang Shunqing, deputy director of the European Department of the Foreign Ministry, said that the establishment of a Sino-Swiss innovative strategic partnership gives "a new definition to our bilateral ties", and marks a new era for the two countries.

"President Xi said that President Schneider-Ammann's visit has brought a spring breeze of cooperation," he said. The discussion between the two presidents was "somewhat longer" than had been scheduled, showing that the meeting had been fruitful, he added.

Contact the writer at anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn