How the Jina-USa meeting was threaded
Trust in Switzerland: Why the USA and China meet in Geneva – and what that means for Switzerland
The world will look at Switzerland: The first meeting between China and the USA in the customs dispute is to take place in Geneva at the weekend. « We are happy about the trust, » says Bern. But who threaded the customs summit? A search for traces.
On Thursday, US Finance Minister Scott Bessent will travel to Switzerland. More precisely after Geneva. There he meets Federal President Karin Keller-Sutter and Minister of Economics Guy Parmelin on Friday. But that’s the start.
Bessent is currently the most powerful minister under President Donald Trump in the global customs dispute. With him, the trade delegate will also arrive, Jamieson Greer. At the weekend there will be direct discussions between the US delegation and official representatives of the China government. It is a summit of worldwide importance.
Finance Minister Scott Bessent came up with the request for a visit to Switzerland, the Karin Keller-Sutter financial department said on Wednesday morning. Ignazio Cassis’ broadcasting party continues to say that Switzerland has « signaled the American and Chinese and Chinese authorities to organize a meeting between the two parties in Geneva ». The offer was now obviously accepted: « We are pleased about the trust that Switzerland will be shown, » the EDA announced on request.
Federal President Karin Keller-Sutter and Minister of Economics Guy Parmelin stayed in Washington at the end of April, where she met finance minister better. There was also a conversation with Trump’s trade delegate, Jamieson Greer, who will also take part in the high -ranking meeting in Geneva.
China sends the Vice Prime Minister He Lifeng
At the same time, Foreign Minister Cassis traveled to Asia. In Beijing he celebrated the 75th anniversary of the diplomatic relationships between the two countries. « The world’s economic challenges were among the other topics, » said the sending party after completing the trip. Among other things, Cassis had a conversation with the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Made the customs summit better known. In the night of Wednesday, he said in an interview with the Trump-related TV station Fox News: He planned to travel to Switzerland to negotiate with the Swiss authorities. Then he received signals that the Chinese would come to Switzerland. In terms of content, Bessen damped too much hopes for a rapid agreement. The main thing is to find out where the positions are and whether there are any opportunities for negotiations.
According to international media reports, China has announced that Vice Prime Minister He Lifeng will travel to Switzerland from May 9th to 12th. A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that the request for the meeting in Geneva came from the USA. Despite the promise to the meeting, China’s position in the customs dispute has not changed: every dialogue must be based on equality, respect and mutual benefit.
In the meantime, preparations for the meeting of the two business world powers are in full swing at the federal government. « We are in contact with both parties to organize the meeting. »
Meet the Americans with business representatives
The private sector is also involved. « There will be meetings between Bessent, Greer and representatives of the Swiss economy, » says Rahul Sahgal, director of the Swiss Chamber of Commerce. He does not comment on the participants. But on the topics: future investments by Swiss companies in the USA and Swiss apprenticeship. The United States showed great interest in this, according to Saugal. In fact: for the intersex of Trump, the United States is currently missing sufficiently trained specialists.
But what do Federal President Keller-Sutter and Parmelin want to talk about in their conversations with better and Greer? What offers does the Federal Council want to submit Trump’s government?
It is still purely exploratory conversations, it says in Bern. It still applies what Cassis explained to the media after the Federal Council meeting last Wednesday. At that time, the Foreign Minister said that the Federal Council would « determine the subject areas with regard to a declaration of intent with which the talks with the USA can continue ». This makes it clear « that these are now still discussions and not formal negotiations ».
In short: the Federal Council has no negotiating mandate yet. Until an agreement in the customs dispute, there are still a number of hurdles.
