China-Swiss Free Trade Agreement (FTA) nears completion

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90883/8133919.html

Chinese vice premier stresses mutual development with Switzerland

Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu (2nd, L) meets with Swiss President Ueli Maurer, in Bern, Switzerland, on Feb. 18, 2013. (Xinhua/Shi Jianguo)

BERN, Switzerland, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu on Monday met Swiss President Ueli Maurer, Vice President and Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter and Economy Minister Johann Schneider-Ammann.

During their talks, Hui stressed both sides should respect each others' way of development, take each others' concerns into consideration, and realize win-win cooperation and mutual development.

Hui said China and Switzerland had made fruitful achievements in finance, culture and education, science and technology, tourism, and personnel training. He added the nations have been keeping good communication and coordination in international affairs.

China attaches great importance to develop China-Switzerland relations and is willing to complete the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with Switzerland as soon as possible, Hui said.

Hui also said both sides should explore potential in agricultural cooperation. China welcomed Swiss agricultural companies to actively participate in China's modern agriculture.

The Swiss expressed their willingness to expand cooperation and exchanges with China. Top Swiss officials said Switzerland was willing to make efforts to push for reaching an agreement in FTA talks with China as soon as possible, and would continue to strengthen coordination with China.

They also stressed Switzerland's adherence to the one-China policy.

During his five-day visit to Switzerland, which started on Feb. 16, Hui visited local agricultural companies and family farms.

Leading onto the thread Don posted on the US-EU speculated FTA (unlikely to make any advances due to French farming concerns, as seen in the international Doha talks), here's tiny Switzerland about to complete a FTA with China - an economy that is expected to become the biggest in the world and still has growth figures of 5%+. So here again, the myth that we (as the worlds 6th largest economy & number one financial sector country) need to be in a trade bloc to negotiate trade deals with big economic powers is proved to be complete nonsense.

Indeed one could even argue that had it not been for the EU, we could be near signing a FTA with the United States right now.

Thoughts?

[-:Undertaker:-]

Just came up on my Twitter feed then that the US-EU proposed talks have already hit the wall... as I said they would.

If we were able to negotiate our own trade deals and FTA(s) - like Switzerland - we wouldn't have to settle for a second best agreement.