China, Switzerland launch free trade agreement talks

（单词翻译）

    DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- China and Switzerland（瑞士） formally launched bilateral¹ talks on a free trade agreement Friday.
    Speaking at the opening ceremony, Chinese Commerce Minister Cheng Deming said the agreement talks between China and Switzerland have attracted huge attention and interest from the countries' leadership and business communities.
    Cheng expected a successful conclusion of the FTA negotiations（谈判磋商）. Cheng said a free trade agreement would enhance mutual² trust between the two sides and promote economic development and closer ties between China and Switzerland.
    Swiss Federal Councilor Johann Schneider-Ammann expressed similar aspirations³ for the agreement as did his Chinese counterpart.
    "The free trade agreement would further enhance trade and investment relations on a mutually beneficial basis, but also create many new opportunities for close exchange and cooperation," Schneider-Ammann said.
    China and Switzerland have seen fast-growing bilateral trade and investments for decade. In the past 10 years, China's exports to Switzerland have grown by 18 percent while Switzerland registered an even stronger 25 percent surge in exports to China.
    Currently, China is the largest trading partner of Switzerland in Asia, while Switzerland ranks ninth among China's trading partners in Europe.
    The Chinese commerce minister is leading a delegation⁴ at Davos to attend the World Economic Forum⁵, which started Wednesday.(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)