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Chinese Vice Premier Starts Visit to Switzerland
Adolf Ogi, president of the Federal Council of Switzerland met Chinese Vice Premier Wen Jiabao Thursday on bilateral relations and cooperation.
During their meeting here, Wen expressed welcome to Ogi's another visit to China scheduled for September to attend a ceremony celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Switzerland.
The Chinese vice premier said that the Chinese government attaches importance to developing full and friendly cooperation with Switzerland. The two countries shared the same or similar views on various international issues.
He said that Switzerland was among the first batch of European countries that had recognized the People's Republic of China and there has been no conflict of interests between the two countries in the past 50 years.
Switzerland is a developed country with advanced technology and abundant capital. Wen said China is carrying out further reforms, and that his country expects Switzerland to expand its trade and economic cooperation.
The Chinese vice premier said that so far only Switzerland and two other countries have not yet reached agreements with China on China's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO), and he hopes Switzerland could conclude such an accord as soon as possible.
On his part, Ogi reaffirmed his government's supportive stand on China's bid for the WTO and said that with their concerted efforts, there must be a way out for both sides to complete the negotiations at an earlier date.
On the same day, Wen also discussed bilateral ties with Pascal Couchepin, head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs.
Wen arrived here Wednesday on a four-day official visit after attending the U.N. General Assembly's special session on social development.
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