Responsible Leadership

The 2017 Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum is to take place from January 17 to 20 in the Swiss town of Davos with the theme of “Responsive and Responsible Leadership.” A series of major changes such as Britains exit from the European Union， Donald Trumps upcoming inauguration as the next U.S. president and elections in France and Germany in the next few months make this years meeting particularly relevant.

2017 will witness complex developments in the worlds economic and political landscape. The consequences of Brexit and Trumps domestic-oriented economic policy could take a toll on global trade. In addition， emerging economies are struggling to sustain rapid growth. In this context， the international community looks to its leaders for responsive and responsible leadership.

Economic globalization has now entered a stage of readjustment. In facing the problems that have emerged， doubts have also begun to surface. However， the pace of globalization cannot be halted as a result of such doubts， as it helps the world develop， and conforms to the needs and interests of all parties involved.

While participating in this process， countries should pay closer attention to incorporating their own development practices into the global system. In addition， to address problems such as inequity， economic globalization should be pushed in a more inclusive and universally beneficial direction. This is one of its inherent requirements and an effective prescription for unclogging globalization bottlenecks.

The relationship between China and Switzerland has made steady progress against the backdrop of globalization. In spite of different political systems， the two share economic cooperation and mutual respect. On July 9， 2007， Switzerland announced its acknowledgement of China as a market economy. On July 1， 2014， the ChinaSwitzerland Free Trade Agreement （FTA） formally took effect. During Swiss President Johann Schneider-Ammanns state visit to China in April 2016， the two countries announced the establishment of an innovative strategic partnership while pledging to advance the FTA.

Sino-Swiss relations are not only amicable but also candid. For instance， the two countries established a human rights dialogue mechanism in 1991. In December 2016， during his visit to Switzerland， Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held discussions with his Swiss counterpart Didier Burkhalter on human rights protection. Current Sino-Swiss relations show great potential for further development， with the constant consolidation of political mutual trust， enhanced cooperation in trade and finance as well as dynamic cultural exchanges.

Progress in China-Switzerland relations illustrates that economic globalization not only presents opportunities for shared development but also underlines the need for responsible leadership. If the world economy is to embrace a bright future， such leadership is indispensable.