Human rights have no place in Swiss-Chinese trade deal The EU and US are currently distancing themselves from China — unlike Switzerland as the country sticks to its free trade agreement with the world's second-largest economy despite mounting domestic criticism. Toasting after a China-Switzerland free trade agreement signing ceremony in Beijing 2013 German Chancellor Angela Merkel says it was a big success that at the end of the German presidency of the Council of the European Union talks were finalized on an investment protection agreement with China. That was in late December, but misgivings about Merkel's policy toward China have since been growing.