Unbecoming of Switzerland

A delegation of Swiss lawmakers visited Taiwan and claimed to uphold a rules-based world order while standing up for democracy. The truth is that through this controversial visit, lawmakers have undermined principles of Swiss foreign policy through disruption.

This basically means that Bern would conveniently ignore sovereign redlines despite seeking to uphold peace by adhering to international humanitarian law as has been the case during the devastating earthquakes in Syria and Turkiye and otherwise. Perhaps it is worthwhile to not tinker with its foreign policy priorities, nor jeopardize its relationships with other states, particularly those who exhibit immense economic clout such as China.

Switzerland’s official foreign policy has been to maintain peaceful diplomatic relationships with sovereign states and serve as an international neutral intermediary by hosting major global treaty conferences. Its foreign policy has also stressed on Swiss international cooperation being driven by a world without poverty and with peace for sustainable development. However, the decision by a group of Swiss lawmakers to meet Taiwan’s Tsai Ing Wen despite the fact that such visits constitute a redline for China is against the principles that Switzerland seeks to uphold. The visit and the ensuing diplomatic push from legislators such as Fabian Molina are simply unbecoming.

The visit followed lawmakers parroting the same discredited rhetoric often employed by Washington DC to illegitimately censure China over its legitimate sovereign priorities. The delegation, which included national councillors Nicolas Walder, Leonore Porchet of the Green Party and Yves Nidegger of the Swiss People’s Party, witnessed lawmakers brazenly asking their government to examine Switzerland’s relationship with Taiwan and explore avenues where cooperation can be deepened in fields such as politics, business and science.

The truth is that this was a concerted attempt by spoilers to equate the Ukraine War with China’s legitimate claims over Taiwan, despite differing regional dynamics and the island’s impending peaceful reunification with Beijing. Social Democrat Fabian Molina however, remained defiant and clearly stated that it was important to stand up for multilateralism and support democracy worldwide despite the fact that such actions conveniently bypass China’s sovereign considerations. This constitutes a provocation.

Swiss lawmakers are not supporting a multilateral world order but are undermining it. Note that Bern formally recognizes Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan and has historically adhered to the ‘One China Policy’. It also does not have any diplomatic relations with Taipei. Yet, Swiss parliamentarians such as Molina continue to act out of volition rather than principle, by insisting unabashedly that China should not be allowed to dictate Swiss foreign policy on Taiwan. This stance is both inconsistent with Swiss policy and is factually incorrect as well. Equating peaceful reunification with an impending invasion demeans historical diplomatic ties between the two countries that date back to 1950, and encompass dialogues on a wide variety of areas ranging from development cooperation, environment, science, finance to education even today.

Furthermore, lawmakers have side-lined previous understandings reached between the two sides such as the 2007 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that is aimed at intensifying high level political consultations. In the 2007 MoU, it was mutually agreed that the two parties will consult each other on global and regional policies as well as development assistance and security issues including those related to the United Nations. However, unlike the unilateral measures taken by rogue lawmakers, both China and Switzerland have also endeavoured towards carrying out projects through partnerships with Swiss cantons and communes.

In 2016, President Johann N Schneider-Ammann concluded an innovative strategic partnership with China while in 2018, the first round of the strategic dialogue commenced. None of this has been factored in by the lawmakers who consider it part of state policy to berate China and express solidarity with secessionists in Taiwan.

The visit to Taiwan by Swiss lawmakers also conveniently ignores the importance of trading ties between Bern and Beijing. Since 2010, China has been Switzerland’s largest trading partner in Asia and the third largest globally after the EU and the United States. Based on figures of December 2022 alone, China exported $493 million to Bern, with exports ranging from nitrogen heterocyclic compounds to automobiles.

Furthermore, Clause 3 of the 2007 MoU explicitly mentions the importance of making full use of existing mechanisms on trade, investments, technology and protection of intellectual property rights with discussions taking place on the latter dating back to 2007. Lawmakers such as Molina, however, are adamant that expressing solidarity with Taiwan as a provocation is to be pursued despite the effect such moves can have on trading ties.

Better sense should prevail in Switzerland as the visit by Swiss lawmakers is completely uncalled for. Such reckless adventurism from the delegation mirrors what US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi managed to do when she visited Taiwan in 2022 as a political stunt. The visit from Pelosi threatened peace and deterrence stability in the Asia-Pacific and constituted a deliberate provocation. This was despite the fact that the United States claimed to have adhered to the ‘One-China’ policy. For Bern to follow suit would be unbecoming of its foreign policy as well as its stated commitment to regional peace which it had initially sought with China.

In order for Bern to stay true to its foreign policy it is critical that such rogue elements and spoilers are called out and castigated.

The writer is an Assistant Research Associate at the Islamabad Policy Research Institute