In Beijing, Ms Moret was received by her counterpart Li Zhanshu and by the chairman of the 13th National Committee of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Wang Yang. The state of bilateral relations, development prospects for economic exchange, cooperation in the field of innovation, and human rights were openly discussed during the talks. China recognises Switzerland’s pioneering role in a number of areas, as evidenced by the conclusion of an Innovative Strategic Partnership in 2016. This is the first official visit since the former National Council president, Ivo Bischofberger (CVP, AI), paid an official visit to China in 2017 at the invitation of the then chairman of the National People's Congress, Zhang Dejiang.
Also in Beijing, Ms Moret met the minister of the National Health Commission, Ma Xiaowei, with whom she discussed the management and financing of health systems, the quality of patient care, and safety and global health issues, particularly regarding prevention.
Ms Moret also travelled to Shougang Steel City Olympic Park, where she visited the headquarters of the Organising Committee of the 2022 Winter Olympics, which will be held in Beijing.
On 17 January, Ms Moret took part at the Swiss embassy in the opening ceremony of the series of events that will take place for a year to mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Switzerland and China. Switzerland was one of the first countries to recognise the People’s Republic of China on 17 January 1950.
In Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu province, Ms Moret was received by the chairman of the Jiangsu Provincial People’s Congress, Lou Qinjian, and visited Drum Tower Hospital, an internationally leading medical institution for innovation. The hospital entrusted its recent expansion project to a Swiss architectural firm. In Shanghai, Ms Moret was received by the director of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Congress, Yin Yicui, and had the opportunity to meet various representatives of Swiss companies and Chinese institutions which maintain business ties with our country.
Since 2010, China has been Switzerland’s most important trading partner in Asia and its third largest trading partner overall, after the European Union and the United States. A bilateral free trade agreement was signed in Beijing in 2013 and entered into force on 1 July 2014. Relations between Switzerland and China continue to grow, with regular visits in both directions by high-ranking governmental and parliamentary representatives. In addition, Switzerland and China maintain a dialogue in many areas, such as the environment, development cooperation, human rights, migration, training, science and finance.
Ms Moret was accompanied for the duration of her trip by Bernardino Regazzoni, Swiss Ambassador to China, Mongolia and North Korea; Claudio Fischer, Ambassador and head of the International Relations and Multilingualism Division of Parliamentary Services; and Olivier Zehnder, Swiss Consul General in Shanghai.