Switzerland and China conclude negotiations on optimisation of free trade agreement
On 20 August 2026, President Guy Parmelin and Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao announced that negotiations on the optimisation of the free trade agreement between Switzerland and China had been concluded. The new agreement will allow 99.8% of Swiss exports to enter China duty‑free, expands environmental and labour rights, and covers rules of origin, trade facilitation, trade in services, digital trade, competition, and economic and technical cooperation. The agreement is expected to be signed by the end of 2026 after domestic approval.
On 20 August 2026, President Guy Parmelin and Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao announced that negotiations on the optimisation of the free trade agreement between Switzerland and China had been concluded. The new agreement will allow 99.8% of Swiss exports to enter China duty‑free, expands environmental and labour rights, and covers rules of origin, trade facilitation, trade in services, digital trade, competition, and economic and technical cooperation. The agreement is expected to be signed by the end of 2026 after domestic approval.
The expanded digital trade and investor access provisions give Swiss AI companies new opportunities to enter the Chinese market and collaborate on technology development.
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