2017年CRI Overseas Chinese and locals in Switzerland welcome President Xi Jinping in Berne

 

Numerous Chinese students, teachers and business owners took time to travel from other cities in Switzerland in the early morning on Sunday to witness the historic visit -- the first to the Alpine¹ country by a Chinese president in the 21st century.

Li Zhengxin is one of those who travelled from the University of Fribourg to see the Chinese President.

"Historically, China and Switzerland have always enjoyed good friendship. And now it is the first state visit by a Chinese president in this century. So we feel very honored to be here to witness the historic moment."

Overseas Chinese people welcome president Xi Jinping in front of the Swiss parliament buildingin Bern, capital of Switzerland on January 15, 2017. [Photo: CRIENGLISH]

Overseas Chinese business owners at the event say they expect the President's visit will not only create bilateral² business deals, but more commercial exchanges between the two countries.

Tang Yu Lap is the head of the Chinese Chamber³ of Commerce in Switzerland.

"We want to express our warm welcome to President Xi on his visit to Switzerland. I believe that President Xi will surely help enhance the commercial cooperation and exchanges between the peoples of the two countries. It will also boost the bilateral cooperation in trade and many other areas."

Wang Xia, a Chinese music teacher in Switzerland, says there is an expectation Xi Jinping's trip will also create more cultural exchanges between the two countries.

"I am closely watching over the possibility of setting up a Chinese culture center in Bern during President Xi's visit. I believe that it will be a good platform for us to make some contributions to the cultural exchanges between China and Switzerland. I would like to say that the president's visit will surely bring about new opportunities for us."

Locals in Switzerlandwelcome president Xi Jinping in front of the Swiss parliament buildingin Bern, capital of Switzerland on January 15, 2017. [Photo: CRIENGLISH]

Also scattered⁴ among the crowd in Bern on Sunday were non-Chinese people from Switzerland, who were just curious to see a major world-leader in-person.

"I know we have a free trade agreement. And we hope to have other more economic and political agreements. "

"It's a great honor that Chinese president comes to Switzerland. And it's interesting that China and Switzerland have such a long relationship. I once visited China. It's a very interesting country. I think China and Switzerland can profit a lot from each other. "

President Xi Jinping has a full agenda as part of his time in Switzerland, which will include talks with Swiss leaders.

A series of bilateral agreements connected to politics, economics and culture are expected to be signed as part of those meetings.

1 alpine   

adj.高山的；n.高山植物

参考例句：

• Alpine flowers are abundant there.那里有很多高山地带的花。
• Its main attractions are alpine lakes and waterfalls .它以高山湖泊和瀑布群为主要特色。

2 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。

3 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

4 scattered   

adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的

参考例句：

• Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。