SHANGHAI Party Secretary Han Zheng met with Swiss Federal Council President Johann Schneider-Ammann and the delegation that arrived with him last week.

Han told Schneider-Ammann that China and Switzerland have been traditional friends and diplomatic ties had grown smoothly over 66 years.

Han said Chinese President Xi Jinping and Schneider-Ammann had confirmed during their talks in Beijing that the two countries will set up innovative strategic partnerships. Han said it proved that ties between the two countries were set to develop further.