Where’s Wilson? – The media in China are raising the mood against the lab theory with a fake researcher from Switzerland | NZZ

“Chinese state media quote a Swiss biologist named Wilson Edwards. He sharply criticizes the United States. Then the Swiss embassy in Beijing intervened and spoke of a false report.”

Read the full article @ NZZ (paywall):

Excitement in store: Whether the federal government will outsource its data to a Chinese cloud is far from being decided | NZZ

“The Chinese group Alibaba was awarded the contract for a major federal IT project two weeks ago. The fuss about the decision is premature.

The decision caused astonishment. Two weeks ago, the Federal Chancellery published the names of the companies on the Simap Internet platform that had received orders for a major federal IT project. This involves the outsourcing of data and applications to the public cloud.”

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Switzerland wants to store data with a Chinese company | Süddeutsche Zeitung

“The government in Bern awards a major contract for cloud services to five companies. One of them: the Chinese provider Alibaba. Now one wonders in the country whether the data is safe there.”

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China is unloading its biggest ever foreign acquisition | Fortune

“ChemChina, a state-owned enterprise, has filed for an IPO of Syngenta, the world’s largest producer of agricultural chemicals, which it bought for $43 billion in 2017 (a deal that Fortune chronicled in detail). It remains China’s biggest foreign acquisition. Now the IPO could be one of China’s biggest.”

Read the full article @ Fortune (paywall):

Switzerland is caught between the fronts of the geopolitical confrontation between the USA and China | NZZ

“The US and some of their close friends are protesting against China – and Switzerland is not participating. In terms of content, the statement hits the bull’s eye. But the Federal Council is trying to avoid a confrontation with the leadership in Beijing. This balancing act will no longer be possible for a long time.”

Read the full commentary @ NZZ (paywall):

Will the Federal Council follow suit with the sanctions against China? | Tages-Anzeiger

“The relationship between Switzerland and China threatens to escalate further. It was only last Friday that the Federal Council tightened its rhetoric against the Chinese government’s blatant human rights violations. Now, five days later, he is already faced with the question of whether he will follow up the critical tones with deeds. Specifically: whether he will take sanctions against Switzerland’s third largest trading partner.

The Federal Council is confronted with this delicate decision by the European Union. On Monday, for the first time since the Tiananmen massacre 30 years ago, it issued punitive measures against China. Even if these sanctions are initially more of a symbolic nature, Brussels is sending an important signal against the Chinese government. Now Switzerland has to decide whether and how to go along with it.”

Read the full article @ Tagesanzeiger:

Swiss China strategy causes outrage in Beijing: Why the great power is now switching to attack | Aargauer Zeitung

““Malicious labels”, “unfounded allegations”, “fake news”: the Chinese ambassador to Switzerland criticizes the Federal Council’s China strategy. How are his words to be classified?
So it was generally expected: that the Chinese would not just let this sit on them. But the circumstances in which they spoke up turned out to be unusual. The Chinese ambassador to Switzerland, Wang Shihting, spoke aggressively and on all channels about Switzerland’s new China strategy.”

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China Strategy 2021-2024 – A balanced, coherent and coordinated approach to China | Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

“China has developed rapidly in recent decades. Relations between Switzerland and China are becoming closer all the time, but this also means that differing values are coming to light more frequently and more clearly than before. The number of actors in Switzerland who maintain contact with China is also rising. In light of this, the Federal Council adopted a new strategy for China at its meeting on 19 March. The strategy was drafted in a process that involved all government departments.”

Read the full statement @ FDFA:

Brochure – China Strategy 2021-2024 (FDFA)

Switzerland’s China strategy put to the test | Handelszeitung

Swiss companies are disadvantaged and spied on in China. The Federal Council should finally demand equal rights, it is said from the economy.

Nobody wants to confirm it. But the case is exemplary of obstacles in China. Two Swiss baby food manufacturers have been waiting for a sales license for almost two years. These are Nestlé and Hochdorf. Nobody knows where it’s stuck. It can’t be because of the quality. “We have successfully passed Chinese audits here on site,” says a Hochdorf spokesman.

Wait, wait, and wait again.”

Switzerland and China to deepen finance fies | Finews

“Despite the increasing discord between China and the U.S., Switzerland wants to further deepen its cooperation in financial matters with the Far East nation.

Swiss Finance Minister Ueli Maurer exchanged views with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He at a virtual ministerial meeting (yesterday) Wednesday, according to a statement from the Federal Department of Finance (FDF). The two politicians each had a high-ranking delegation at their side.

Maurer and Liu He thus developed perspectives on deepening bilateral relations in the areas of stock market trading, sustainable financial services, asset management, and digital central bank money. The central banks of both countries are known to be working on projects for digital central bank money, although the respective approach differs greatly in terms of the user base.”

Read the full article @ Finews:

Rolex winners, Swatch losers after Swiss luxury watch industry’s devastating year | SCMP

“Rolex was one of the least affected by the economic crunch last year, according to a report, while the Swatch Group posted its first loss since 1983.

Chinese luxury consumers created a surge in Swiss watch exports to mainland China after starting to shop locally, with demand strong for mid-price brands.”

Read the full articlel @ SCMP (paywall):

China has too much influence over Switzerland, finds study | swissinfo.ch

“According to Basel University, Ralph Weber’s study is the “first work to explore tactics of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) influence and United Front activities in Switzerland”. It focuses on personal and institutional networks, and lists efforts to exert influence on “issues Beijing regards as sensitive, including questions concerning Tibet, Taiwan, or Xinjiang”.

Based on the study, the NZZ am Sonntag newspaper highlights a “spin doctor” living in western Switzerland: Yuming Yang, who is currently on the board of the Bern-based Swiss China Investment Platform Association – along with Hans-Ulrich Bigler, the director of the Swiss Trade Association (SGV).”

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Why a controversial Chinese-Swiss agreement has been left to expire | swissinfo.ch

“The Swiss government has put on hold a deal that allowed agents from China to come to Switzerland to identify Chinese nationals, following public outcry and pressure from various groups. But questions about the nature and purpose of the arrangement continue to dog migration officials.”

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Unified message, rhizomatic delivery: A preliminary analysis of PRC/CCP influence and the united front in Switzerland | Sinoptic

“Documenting Overseas Chinese united front networks and contacts between Swiss social, economic and political circles and the Chinese party-state’s co-optation apparatus.

This study sets out to trace some of the personal and institutional networks used by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to influence society and economic and political circles in Switzerland. These efforts address issues sensitive from a CCP point of view (Tibet, Taiwan, Xinjiang etc.), but also aim to shape the image of China in Switzerland overall. The focus is on Swiss-based actors, who appear to be co-opted, and, in a classic pattern, might or might not be aware of their co-optation. The study highlights the grey zones that these tactics of influence and sometimes interference are conducted in and the rhizomatic manner by which a unified message from various actors in Beijing gets projected into a target society like Switzerland.”

Read the full text @ Sinoptic:

A preliminary analysis of PRC/CCP influence and the united front in Switzerland (PDF – Sinoptic)

The United Front: A Lesser-Known Side of Chinese Presence in Switzerland | The Geneva Observer

“The influence of China on the world economy and international politics increases from day to day. Many economic or diplomatic actors are wondering about their relationship with the Chinese state, struggling to grasp all its facets. One facet of the Chinese party-state that we have difficulty identifying, despite its presence in Switzerland, is the United Front.”

Read the full article @ The Geneva Observer:

More than half of Chinese acquisitions in Switzerland have state fingerprint | Swissinfo.ch

“The Chinese government has a stake in 53% of Swiss companies acquired by Chinese firms since 2010, according to a think tank study.”

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Asian Group Takes Over Landmark Building at Zurich’s Paradeplatz | finews.asia

“Savoy Baur en Ville, one of Zurich’s top hotels, will close its doors by the end of 2022, only to reopen two-and-a-half years later under a new name and new management. The renovation is the fourth in the long history of this landmark building at Paradeplatz.

The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group will take over the management of Savoy Hotel Baur en Ville, the luxury hotel at Paradeplatz in Zurich. Even after the handover of operational responsibility, the ownership will remain the same though: Credit Suisse (CS) will retain its majority stake in the renowned hotel, according to a statement released on Monday.”

Read the full article @ finews.asia:

The plans of the new Chinese ambassador to Switzerland | NZZ

“China is said to have eliminated absolute poverty by the end of the year. This is what the head of state and party leader Xi Jinping wants. It is an area that Wang Shihting, Beijing’s new representative in Switzerland, is very familiar with.”

Read the full article @ NZZ (paywall):

Coronavirus effect helps Swiss soap brand target China | swissinfo.ch

“Threatened several times with extinction, Switzerland’s oldest soap manufacturer is enjoying a new lease of life thanks to the importance of handwashing in 2020. The company’s owner, a businessman from Hong Kong, is now planning to tap into the Asian market.”

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Dufry to enlist Alibaba as shareholder, signs China JV | Reuters

“China’s Alibaba plans to acquire a stake of up to 9.99% in Swiss duty free group Dufry, Dufry said on Monday, as it announced a new Chinese joint venture with the tech giant.

“Alibaba Group and Dufry AG (Dufry) have agreed to enter into a collaboration to jointly explore and invest in opportunities in China to develop the travel retail business and to enhance Dufry’s digital transformation,” Dufry said in a statement.

The Swiss firm has reeled under the hit of COVID-19 and plans to ask shareholders on Oct. 6 to fund a buyout of its Hudson Ltd unit via a new rights issue.”

Read the full article @ Reuters: