Visiting Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang has met and appealed to leading Swiss entrepreneurs for strengthened cooperation for closer economic and trade ties.

"China and Switzerland are major economic partners to each other," Li said, "The economic and trade cooperation serves as an important basis for the development of bilateral ties."

Bilateral trade has continued to expand, and investment cooperation has been deepened, Li added.

Switzerland is a major source of foreign investment from Europe for China, which now has manufacturing bases set up by leading Swiss companies such as Nestle, Novartis and ABB, he said.

"Meanwhile, progress has been made in Chinese investment in Switzerland in such fields as energy, telecommunications and software engineering," he added.

The Chinese vice premier said technology trade between the two countries has also been enhanced. "For China, Switzerland is a major source of advanced technology in Europe."

Cooperation on technology has boosted the renovation of traditional industries and the development of high- and new-tech industries in China, Li said, adding it is a key reason Switzerland has achieved a trade surplus with China.

He outlined five priorities in furthering trade and investment cooperation with Switzerland.