China, Switzerland sign declaration with view to expanding trade agreement

China and Switzerland signed a joint declaration on Monday after Premier Li Qiang met with the Swiss President in Bern where they agreed to deepen their partnership, the Swiss government said.

Li, the most senior Chinese official to visit the country since President Xi Jinping's visit in 2017, met with the country's President Viola Amherd ahead of the World Economic Forum in Davos.

The declaration entails the finalisation of a joint study to develop the two countries' existing free trade agreement. "This marks an important step towards the start of possible negotiations," the Swiss government said.