BEIJING, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- China appreciates the Swiss President's positive remarks on bilateral ties, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Tuesday.

"Relations between China and Switzerland have come a long way. Knowledge, understanding and cooperation between our two nations has grown steadily," Ueli Maurer, president of the Swiss Confederation, said in a recent article.

He also said the Sino-Swiss partnership could be a good example of how to resolve complex questions in economic, political and environmental fields in a world that is "getting ever more diverse, complex and interdependent."

China-Switzerland relations have been developing soundly and the two sides face new cooperation opportunities in the Belt & Road Initiative, economy, finance, free trade and people-to-people exchanges, said spokesperson Hua Chunying at a press briefing.

"Against the backdrop of the unstable and uncertain international situation, mutually beneficial and friendly cooperation between China and Switzerland bring tangible benefits to both peoples, boost the development of China-Europe relations and make a voice for safeguarding multilateralism and free trade," Hua said.

Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan is currently visiting Switzerland. "Wang's visit marks the beginning of high-level exchanges between the two countries in 2019," Hua said, adding that China hopes this visit would help enhance political mutual trust, deepen the China-Switzerland innovative strategic partnership and reinforce cooperation.