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1 - Creating a European Hub

Recognition, Potential, and Frictions (1949–1958)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 April 2022

Ariane Knüsel
Affiliation:
University of Fribourg
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Summary

From the 1950s on, Sino-Swiss relations were unique in Western Europe. Switzerland’s early recognition of China and its neutrality led to a great deal of goodwill in China and extraordinarily amicable relations in the 1950s. China also used its diplomatic missions in Switzerland as political, economic, and cultural hubs for Western Europe and in some cases even for the entire world. For Switzerland, Sino-Swiss relations were supposed to establish Switzerland as an internationally respected, neutral mediating power. However, China mistrusted Swiss neutrality, and it also used Switzerland as a European hub for embargo goods deals. It was only with the Geneva Conference and China’s use of ‘peaceful coexistence’ as the official basis for its foreign policy that Chinese official statements on Swiss neutrality improved.

Type
Chapter
Information
China's European Headquarters
Switzerland and China during the Cold War
, pp. 16 - 82
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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  • Creating a European Hub
  • Ariane Knüsel, University of Fribourg
  • Book: China's European Headquarters
  • Online publication: 21 April 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009169486.002
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  • Creating a European Hub
  • Ariane Knüsel, University of Fribourg
  • Book: China's European Headquarters
  • Online publication: 21 April 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009169486.002
Available formats
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Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Creating a European Hub
  • Ariane Knüsel, University of Fribourg
  • Book: China's European Headquarters
  • Online publication: 21 April 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009169486.002
Available formats
×