Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng (left) meets with Conradin Cramer, president of the cantonal government of Basel-Stadt in Switzerland in January 2025. [Photo/WeChat account: shanghaifabu]
Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng visited Canton Basel-Stadt in Switzerland from Jan 19 to 20, aiming to further enhance practical cooperation in trade, investment, biomedicine, technology innovation and people-to-people exchanges.
Shanghai and Canton Basel-Stadt established a friendship city relationship in 2007.
Since then, the two sides have enjoyed extensive and fruitful collaboration in areas such as trade, investment, life sciences, culture and education, Gong said during a meeting with Conradin Cramer, head of the cantonal government.
Gong encouraged Swiss companies and investors to take full advantage of China’s visa-free policy to explore the Chinese market and seek cooperation opportunities.
From Nov 30, 2024 to Dec 31, 2025, ordinary passport holders from Switzerland will be eligible for visa-free entry to China for up to 30 days for purposes including business, tourism, family visits, transit, and exchange.
Canton Basel-Stadt is recognized as one of the world’s most important life science centers, Gong said while meeting with Severin Schwan, chairman of Roche Group, and Joerg Reinhardt, chairman of Novartis AG.
Schwan also serves as the chair of the International Business Leaders’ Advisory Council for the Mayor of Shanghai, an initiative established in 1989 by then Shanghai mayor Zhu Rongji to gather insights from leading multinational executives. Reinhardt is also a member of the council.
Gong highlighted Shanghai’s efforts to accelerate its transformation into a globally influential innovation hub for the biomedicine industry. He emphasized the city’s ambition to develop a world-class industrial cluster for biomedicine and called for active participation from renowned global medical and health companies.
Gong assured that Shanghai will continue to cultivate a first-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized, providing robust support for companies seeking growth in the city.
Cramer, Schwan, and Reinhardt all praised Shanghai’s achievements and expressed optimism about deepening practical cooperation with the city.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Switzerland.
Source: WeChat account: Shanghaifabu
,https://english.shanghai.gov.cn/en-Latest-WhatsNew/20250126/bec1a65896e243fba6219aaee081d84a.html