China and Switzerland sign protocol to upgrade free trade agreement

China and Switzerland signed a protocol on Friday to upgrade their free trade agreement (FTA), a move expected to expand market access, promote two-way investment and deepen bilateral economic and trade cooperation, according to China's Ministry of Commerce.

Under the protocol, the two sides will make high-standard commitments to further open trade in goods and services, as well as investment. The upgraded agreement also revises rules covering rules of origin, trade facilitation, technical barriers to trade, digital trade, competition, and trade and sustainable development.

The ministry said the upgrade would provide stronger institutional support for the liberalization and facilitation of bilateral trade and investment. It added that the move underscores both countries' commitment to free trade, open cooperation and a rules-based multilateral trading system amid global uncertainties.

Switzerland is China's seventh-largest trading partner in Europe, while China is Switzerland's largest trading partner in Asia. Over the past five years, annual bilateral trade has averaged more than 50 billion U.S. dollars. From January to September 2026, trade between the two countries reached 89 billion dollars, up 127 percent year on year.

China and Switzerland signed their original FTA in 2013, and it entered into force in July 2014. Negotiations to upgrade the agreement began in September 2024 and concluded in August 2026 after five rounds of talks

According to CCTV+, following the signing, both sides will complete their respective domestic legal approval procedures and work to bring the upgraded agreement into force as soon as possible.