On September 16^th of 2020, at the invitation, Qin Gang, vice foreign affairs minister, attended the reception of the 70^th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relationship between China and Switzerland.

    In his speech, Qin Gang congratulated the 70^th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relationship between China and Switzerland. He said that 70 years ago, our two countries’ last generation of government heads made visionary strategic decision to establish the diplomatic relationship. After 70 years, our relationship boasted a long-history for we were friends who treated each other as equals and partnership of win-win cooperation. In addition, we were at the frontier of China-Europe tie in multiple aspects. For many times, president Xi Jinping pointed out that we jointly nurtured the China-Switzerland cooperation spirit of “equality, innovation and win-win cooperation” which was an example for such relationships between countries of different sizes, of different social systems and in different stages. Our relationship was also improved through supporting each other and overcoming difficulties in the pandemic. With the opportunity of the 70^th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relationship, China would work with Switzerland to continue to stick to mutual respect and the spirit to be the first; to deepen cooperation in multiple aspects; to safeguard multilateralism and free trade; to push forward our innovative strategic partnership and to inject more vitality into world’s peace and development.

    Bernardino Regazzoni, Switzerland ambassador to China, said in his speech that in the 70 years since the establishment of the diplomatic relationship, China-Switzerland tie grew more and more mature. Our exchanges between central and local governments and people-to-people communication were maintained as well as more fruits were realized in many areas. Switzerland witnessed and participated China’s rapid development in the 40 years since the reform and opening up. Switzerland authority believed that the relationship between the two countries would be solidified and deepened after the pandemic and it would take a neutral stance in a complex international society. Switzerland would always be a friend to China and would like to maintain communication and cooperation with China so as to enable our relationship to flourish in the next 70 years.