So Swiss, So Changzhou! Swiss Centers Changzhou Officially Launched

CHANGZHOU, China, Jul. 16, 2024 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/–

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the China-Switzerland Free Trade Agreement coming into effect. On July 11, the fourth “So Swiss” event was held in Changzhou, providing a platform for showcasing Switzerland. On July 12, the Swiss Centers Changzhou, branch of the largest Swiss business cluster in Asia to date, was officially launched. This center will further aid in the industrial innovation collaboration between Changzhou and Switzerland, pushing Sino-Swiss international cooperation to new heights.

Image: The Opening Ceremony of So Swiss Event

Switzerland is renowned as the “nation of innovation,” consistently ranking at the top of the Global Innovation Index for many years. It boasts a host of world-renowned companies and advanced technologies in high-end manufacturing, pharmaceutical and chemical industries, ecological agriculture, and environmental protection. Changzhou is one of the cities in the Yangtze River Delta region with the highest concentration of Swiss enterprises, currently hosting 42 Swiss-invested enterprises. It has developed an important carrier for Sino-Swiss economic and trade cooperation – the Sino-Swiss (Changzhou) International Industrial Innovation Park, which has so far attracted 25 leading international industrial projects with a total investment exceeding $700 million.

As strategic partners in innovation, China and Switzerland complement each other and hold immense potential in collaborative innovation. Sheng Lei, Mayor of Changzhou Municipal People’s Government, stated that during exchanges with Switzerland, Changzhou has witnessed the development of exemplary foreign enterprises such as Mettler-Toledo, Rieter, and Buhler. The park serves as an important window and platform for Sino-Swiss economic and trade cooperation, creating synchronous resonance in the industrial and supply chains with many leading Swiss enterprises. Nicolas, the founder of the Swiss Centers, noted that “China’s high-quality development and new productive forces have been placed in a very important position, aligning perfectly with the Swiss emphasis on innovation-driven development.”

“The excellent business environment in Changzhou is impressive,” said Jürg Burri, the Swiss Ambassador to China. The operation of the Swiss Centers provides a great window for Swiss enterprises to connect with China’s development and strongly supports the continued bilateral trade relationship between China and Switzerland. He expressed hope that under the framework of the Sino-Swiss Free Trade Agreement, Changzhou and Switzerland will continue to expand cooperation, strengthen economic and trade exchanges, and achieve win-win cooperation.