On April 16, 2024, CIWTO scholars participated in the panel discussion event “Making Good Use of Free Trade Agreements” hosted by Swiss Embassy in China, and released a Chinese version of the report "Sino-Swiss Free Trade Agreement - 2023 Academic Evaluation Report (10th Anniversary Edition)" coauthored by Sino-Swiss Competence Center (SSCC) of the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE), the University of St. Gallen and Shanghai Customs College. Over 120 diplomats, academics, experts and practitioners working in the field of bilateral foreign trade participated and jointly discussed the utilization rate and impact of the Sino-Swiss Free Trade Agreement (SSFTA).

(Release of the Chinese version of the SSFTA report)

Switzerland's ambassador to China Jürg Burri attended the event and gave the opening speech. He reviewed the economic relations between Switzerland and China and the significance of trade relations between the two countries. 2024 marks the 10th anniversary of the SSFTA which entered into force on 1 July 2014. It has become the most utilized FTA outside Europe for Swiss exporters. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the conclusion of the Sino-Swiss Trade Agreement of 1974, which established a Joint Bilateral Economic Commission.

(Introductory remarks by Jürg Burri, Ambassador of Switzerland to China)

Li Siqi and Du Yingxin, associated professors of China Institute for WTO Studies at the University of International Business and Economics, presented the contents of the report, including the research team's calculation and case studies of the utilization rate of the SSFTA, the analysis of the reasons affecting the FTA utilization by both countries’ exporters, and research findings on trade in services and investment.

(Li Siqi and Du Yingxin presenting the findings of the report)

(Prof. Tu Xinquan in the panel discussion)

Professor Tu Xinquan, Dean of the China Institute for WTO Studies at the University of International Business and Economics, participated in the panel discussion of the event. The panel discussion was moderated by Chantal Delli, Deputy Head of Mission of the Swiss Embassy. The other participants are Professor Tomas Casas i Klett of the University of St. Gallen, Jennifer Zhong, economist at UBS, Nicolas Musy, Founding Partner of China Integrated, and Martin Matter, Counsellor of the Swiss Embassy. The panellists addressed a number of issues and took queries from the audiences, including the value added of the SSFTA, how the utilization of the SSFTA affects bilateral commerce, and the future prospects of trade and economic relations between the two countries.

This report is the second SSFTA evaluation report co-authored by SSCC. The first report, Sino-Swiss Free Trade Agreement – 2018 Academic Evaluation Report, was launched in September 2018 in the Canton of St. Gallen, Switzerland and is the first academic assessment of the SSFTA. The English version of the 10th anniversary report was released in St. Gallen, Switzerland, on October 13, 2023.

Link to the English version of the 10th anniversary report:

https://doi.org/10.33058/seismo.30885

Link to the Chinese version of the 10th anniversary report:

https://ciwto.uibe.edu.cn/docs/2024-04/c97f8d558dc24ecfa2f98c631448f399.pdf