China, Switzerland launch free trade agreement talks

    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)

1 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

2 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

3 aspirations   

强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音

参考例句：

• I didn't realize you had political aspirations. 我没有意识到你有政治上的抱负。
• The new treaty embodies the aspirations of most nonaligned countries. 新条约体现了大多数不结盟国家的愿望。

4 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

5 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。