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Despite Pro-Tibet Protests, Chinese Visit to Switzerland Passes Without Trouble

© Photo : Youtube/ voice of kharnangTibet protesters detained in Swiss capital during Xi Jinping visit
Tibet protesters detained in Swiss capital during Xi Jinping visit - Sputnik International
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During a recent visit of Chinese representatives to Switzerland 10 agreements concerning bilateral cooperation in culture, innovations, international cooperation, intellectual property, energy, and sport were signed.

The cooperation comes even as pro-Tibet protesters in Bern and Geneva tried cast a shadow on President Xi Jinping’s official visit to Switzerland on January 16.

“Cooperation between China and Switzerland sets a good example for other Western countries,” Xi said in Bern in commented that may have been directed at President-elect Donald Trump.

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Xi also met with Jurg Stahl, president of the National Council, and President of the Council of States Ivo Bischofberger, who are heads of the two chambers of Swiss parliament.

China is set to “reinforce cooperation in international affairs, to enrich the contents of the Sino-Swiss Innovative Strategic Partnership and lift bilateral ties to a higher level,” the Xi said.

The visit was not without controversy, during the Chinese president’s visit 800 Tibetan and Swiss activists gathered in the center of Bern to protest against the policies of China towards Tibet. Swiss authorities sanctioned the protest, but limited its duration to two hours and set up security zones to ensure that the protesters would be kept at a safe distance from the reception venue. However, police were forced to prevent a man from setting himself on fire and detained 32 activists as well, media reports say.

Security measures helped to avoid the kind of open confrontation which marked the last visit by Chinese president Jiang Zemin in 1999.

Jin Canrong, an expert from the School of International Studies in Renmin University of China gave three reasons why the pro-Tibet protests did not derail Sino-Swiss talks.

“Those who are for the independence of Tibet from China protest under the guise of fighting for religious freedom, which is a very encouraging slogan. However, many countries including Switzerland understand that actually the issue is used by separatist political groups,” Jin told Sputnik China.

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He urged that pro-Tibet separatists try to politicize the question at very high levels.

“Another reason why the protests failed is China’s growing global influence. The stronger the country is, the more states aspire to collaborate with it,” the expert said.

Jin also mentioned the ongoing crisis in Europe, which has already been marked with Brexit, and the rise of right-wing forces as a result of the migrant crises.

“Now European countries do not believe that they will return to their glorious past one day, when they wore the mask of a savior and demonstrated arrogant attitudes towards the rest of the world, judged other countries and neglected relations with them,” he concluded. 

​In an interview with Sputnik China expert from Saint Petersburg State University Jana Leksyutina said that human rights organizations are very active in Europe, and human rights issues are very sensitive in Snino-European relations as well. Protests happen often and so China has developed somewhat of an immunity to them, shown during Xi’s visit to Switzerland. 

“European leaders regularly meet the Dalai Lama, but Beijing responds to such steps with decisive retaliations,” Leksyutina said.

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For example, when David Cameron met the Tibetan spiritual leader in July 2012 during his time as prime minister, he was in effect barred from Beijing for over a year, creating a rough patch in the UK’s relationship with China.

“I don’t believe that any force hoped to ruin the negotiations by organizing protests,” the expert assumed.

On January 17 Xi Jinping and Swiss President Doris Leuthard opened the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. Xi became the first Chinese head of state to attend the WEF and his speech was the spotlight of the event.  In his address he warned against protectionism and populism amid a spreading anti-globalization movement.

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