Chinese President Xi Jinping has expressed confidence that his state visit to Switzerland would be a “full success” in a speech at the Swiss Federal Assembly in Bern on Sunday.
Chinese President Xi Jinping gives a speech at the country's Federal Assembly in Bern on January 15, 2017. /CGTN Photo
President Xi was introduced to the members of the Swiss Federal Council by its President Doris Leuthard. He thanked Leuthard for the warm welcome and said he believed his four-day state visit to Switzerland would be a “full success.”
He praised the Swiss people, traditions and natural landscape, and said his trip was intended to “maintain our friendship” and for “future communication and future development.”
Xi added that he hoped “to address the challenges facing global development and also give positive power to the global society” during his stay in Switzerland, which will include talks with Swiss leaders and a speech to the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Chinese President Xi Jinping gives a speech at the country's Federal Assembly in Bern on January 15, 2017. /CGTN Photo
China and Switzerland signed an innovative strategic partnership in 2016, and Xi praised the Alpine nation as ranking “in the top level around the world” in innovation.
President of the Swiss Federal Council Leuthard welcomed Xi to Switzerland, describing his visit to the alpine nation as “a huge honor and a huge pleasure.”
In a speech, she applauded China’s contribution to the international process, notably the global economy and environmental protection. Leuthard also said Switzerland “hugely valued China’s role in the United Nations.”
She praised relations between China and Switzerland as “very dynamic” and said the countries would mark deeper cooperation by signing further agreements in the coming days.
Xi flew from Beijing to Zurich on Sunday. He is scheduled to attend the 2017 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos on Tuesday, and visit Geneva headquarters of the United Nations, the World Health Organization and the International Olympic Committee on Wednesday.
8084km
