After the publication last week of the Federal Council’s report on Switzerland’s relations with China, Chinese authorities on Monday expressed their dissatisfaction. It was the Chinese Ambassador to Switzerland, Wang Shiting, who conveyed the Chinese Government’s grievances during a video press conference. In essence, China criticizes the Swiss assessments linked to the question of human rights: “We hope that Switzerland will abandon its ideological prejudices and respect the choice of the Chinese people”.
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The ambassador denounced the “malicious” or “erroneous” remarks contained in this report. The problematic of Chinese espionage would not be substantiated and would reveal a “cold war mentality”. The Ambassador recalled the good relations between the two countries for 70 years, but for two years they have deteriorated. He criticizes Switzerland for joining its international voice with countries denouncing the repression of Uighurs in Xinjiang and the restriction of freedoms in Hong Kong. In the first case, the ambassador clarified: “It is not a problem of human rights or of minority or religion but of terrorism”.
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In short, China is warning Switzerland to distance itself from international initiatives that criticize China or carry out “political slander” against it. Under the words, it is a condition so that the economic relations between the two countries, which are good, can continue on the path of free trade initiated for several years and intended to be developed.
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