Swiss President Johann Schneider-Ammann pays a state visit to China from today until Saturday. It's his first visit to the country as state head of the Swiss Confederation. Ahead of the visit, Schneider-Ammann sat down with CCTV.

President Schneider-Ammann during interview

China and Switzerland have enjoyed a fruitful relationship since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1950.

"Switzerland is very proud that it was the one who acknowledged the People's Republic of China as the first coming out to the western hemisphere," Johann Schneider-Ammann said.

In 2014, a free trade agreement between China and Switzerland took effect, marking a new dawn for business between the two countries.

It's the first free trade pact inked between China and a country in continental Europe....and is sure to be highlighted during the Swiss President's latest visit to China. 

"The main purpose is to strengthen the ties between the two countries in foremost our science and our in economic domains. We are going to discuss business," Ammann said.

"we are going to discuss how to establish, how to even better establish the free trade agreement, where can we improve, where can we adjust, how can we prepare an even more attractive market access both ways." 

Innovation and education will also be high on agenda.

"After the FTA, AIIB...we gonna conclude strong cooperation in all about science, innovation and technology," Ammann said.