Swiss foreign minister seeks China’s help in Ukraine peace talks
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis said on Wednesday he hoped China would "give us a hand" in Ukraine peace talks, after Switzerland last month agreed to host a global peace summit on Ukraine.
Ukraine said it had invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to participate in a planned “peace summit” of world leaders in Switzerland to seek ways to end the war that began when Russia sent troops into Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
At the request of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, neutral Switzerland has agreed to host the event, but a date and venue have yet to be set.
More
More
Ukraine peace conference could take place in 2024, says Swiss president
This content was published on
The peace summit for Ukraine planned by Switzerland should take place as soon as possible, says Swiss President Viola Amherd.
China maintains close ties with Russia, refraining from criticising its invasion of Ukraine, but has also said the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations must be respected and has offered to help mediate in the conflict.
Cassis, when asked at a news conference in Beijing on whether China responded to the invitation to the summit, said: “It’s a very high-level conference, we can’t expect an immediate answer.”
More
More
Switzerland marks start of China’s ‘high-level exchange’ with Europe
This content was published on
Chinese Premier Li Qiang is visiting Switzerland this week. Here’s what you need to know about official Swiss-Chinese relations.
China’s Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a “no limits” partnership in Beijing just three weeks before Russia’s invasion nearly two years ago. Since then, China has dramatically increased its Russian energy imports.
“I’m interested in getting help from China because China has great relations with Russia,” Cassis said. So far, China has not said if it would attend the peace summit or not.
“We will continue in our own way to promote peace talks and to push for a political settlement of the crisis,” a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said separately at a regular news conference on Wednesday.
More
More
How Swiss-Chinese relations are weathering geopolitical storms
This content was published on
Switzerland’s first foreign policy strategy on China runs out this year. How should it reframe this key relationship in a changing global context?
Cassis was in China from Tuesday to Wednesday for the third round of the China-Switzerland Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue.
Last month, China and Switzerland signed a joint declaration agreeing to deepen their partnership after Premier Li Qiang met the Swiss President in Geneva.
The declaration entails the finalisation of a joint study to develop the two countries’ existing free trade agreement (FTA). After Cassis’ meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Wednesday, Chinese state media reported that both sides had “expressed satisfaction” with the completion of the joint feasibility study for the upgrade of the FTA.
Cassis told reporters after the meeting that the upgraded FTA could be launched next year, when the two countries mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties.
(Reporting by Ryan Woo and Ethan Wang; Additional reporting by Joe Cash in Beijing; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Ros Russell)
External Content
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Almost finished… We need to confirm your email address. To complete the subscription process, please click the link in the email we just sent you.
Switzerland abstains from vote on Palestinian bid for full UN membership
This content was published on
On Friday, Switzerland abstained from the vote at the General Assembly on granting the Palestinians new rights at the United Nations (UN).
Protein in abdominal fat could help shape obesity treatment
This content was published on
The study analysed fat cells from different locations in the body, and found that those in the abdomen have unique properties.
North African asylum claims fall after rapid Swiss processing
This content was published on
The accelerated procedure, now out of its test phase, has resulted in a significant drop in applications from North African countries.
This content was published on
The artist's song "The Code" focuses on their journey as a nonbinary individual. It is one of the favourites to win this year's contest.
Swiss climate activists block vehicles near Gotthard tunnel
This content was published on
Around ten climate activists briefly blocked the A2 motorway near the northern entrance of the Gotthard tunnel on Thursday.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Why is Switzerland refusing to follow EU sanctions on China?
This content was published on
Switzerland decided not to join the European Union in imposing sanctions on China. But why was there no communication about this decision?
‘Pointless’ for Swiss to host Ukraine peace summit, says Russia
This content was published on
Switzerland hosting peace talks on Ukraine would be "pointless", Russia's ambassador in Bern said in an interview published on Sunday.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.