Chinese state visit to Bern: how Ogis Kristall saved the friendship between Switzerland and China

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Federal President Viola Amherd (61) received the new Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang (64), China’s number 2, in Bern on Monday. Switzerland and the People’s Republic of China have maintained bilateral relations since 1950. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (EDA) describes these as “good and diverse”. Since 2010, China has been Switzerland’s most important trading partner in Asia and the third most important trading partner overall, after the EU and the US.

However, a look back shows that tact is required! Despite good relations, receptions by high-ranking Chinese state representatives in Switzerland were not always diplomatic. 25 years ago, in March 1999, the friendship between Switzerland and China came to an end.

“You lost a good friend”

During the official visit of the then Chinese President Jiang Zemin (1926-2022) to Bern, there were demonstrations in front of the Federal Palace. A pro-Tibet group protested peacefully, handing out flyers, waving Tibetan flags and chanting “Free Tibet.” Some protesters later climbed the UBS building. That was the final blow for Jiang.

The Chinese president responded angrily to the protest. He refused to march through the honorary company and kept the Federal Council waiting for half an hour before rushing – without greeting – to the Federal Palace. Then Federal Councilor Adolf Ogi (81) later said in an interview with SRF that Jiang was almost forced into the Federal Palace. Not from the Swiss delegation, but from the Chinese guards.

Then-Federal President Ruth Dreifuss (84) tried to calm the situation, but Jiang remained upset. He accused the Swiss government: “You have lost a good friend.” But that is not enough.

Rock crystal saves state visit

During the state dinner, Dreifuss tried to raise the human rights situation in China. This made the Chinese head of state so angry that he wanted to leave the table. Ogi, however, managed to calm the angry president. He took out a rock crystal from his pocket and handed it to Jiang. “I told him not to be angry. “Life is too short to be bad,” Ogi recalled in an SRF interview.

This small rock crystal ultimately saved the state visit, Ogi continued. In fact, a year later, Ogi traveled to China to see Jiang Zemin. During his visit to the Middle Kingdom, he told the Federal Council: “The events in Bern have been forgotten.”

When the current President of China, Xi Jinping (70), visited Bern in 2017, it was of great importance to prevent similar incidents. Protests were therefore only allowed at Waisenhausplatz in Bern and only before the state visit. The police in the canton of Bern have asked the population to temporarily remove Tibetan flags from balconies and facades during the Chinese state visit.

Most police stations remain closed

It will probably remain largely quiet in Bern on Monday. As of Thursday, the city of Bern no longer had a request for a meeting of exiled Tibetans on the table, security director Reto Nause (52) said when asked by Blick.

A large-scale security deployment is also planned for Xi’s visit. Roads are closed and traffic restrictions are in place. Most police stations in the canton remain closed to ensure sufficient staff are available for operations. Not only Xi will be received in Bern, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selensky (45) is also expected in the federal city.

Source:Blick