Cassis has to make an emergency landing in Moscow – Switzerland-China dialogue postponed
After the Federal Council’s jet had to make an unscheduled stopover in Russia’s capital, Foreign Minister Cassis is returning to Switzerland.
The Federal Council jet of the Swiss Air Force at Bern-Belp Airport.
Photo: Lukas Lehmann (Keystone / Archive)
After a breakdown with the Federal Council’s jet, Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis postponed his visit to China. The Swiss delegation stranded in Moscow returned to Switzerland on Friday without having achieved anything. According to the EDA, the planned strategic dialogue with China should be made up for as soon as possible.
Shortly after a planned refueling stop in Novosibirsk, Siberia, the Federal Council jet, which was on its way to China, “had to return to Novosibirsk due to technical problems,” said the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (EDA) at the request of the Keystone-SDA news agency .
Already incident in July
The Federal Council jet then flew the delegation to Moscow. At no point in time was there any danger to the travelers, it said.
A trip with the Federal Council’s jet had to be interrupted in July when Federal President Guy Parmelin had to return to Switzerland via Latvia on the way to the opening of the Olympic Games in Tokyo due to technical problems.
Federal Councilor Cassis was due to meet his Chinese counterpart, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, on Saturday. As part of the strategic dialogue, he wants to talk to him about bilateral relations, current international developments and human rights.
The strategic dialogue between the two countries at foreign ministerial level has existed since 2017. It is intended to strengthen relations between the two countries and takes place every year alternately in Switzerland and China. After all, China is Switzerland’s third most important trading partner after the EU and the USA.
“Interfering in internal affairs”
The strategy had called the ambassador of China on the scene, who criticized it sharply. He accused Switzerland of interfering in China’s internal affairs. The reason: The FDFA sees the observance and promotion of human rights as a substantial part of the political dialogue.
According to the last meeting, Switzerland has expressed concern about the lack of respect for human rights in China, especially when it comes to dealing with the Uyghurs, Tibetans and other ethnic and religious minorities. The introduction of the national security law in Hong Kong and the associated restrictions on freedom of expression were also discussed.
The EU went further, imposing punitive measures in March against those responsible for the suppression of Muslim Uyghurs in western China’s Xinjiang region. US President Joe Biden has also attacked Beijing because of its Uyghur policy.
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