19th round of the human rights dialogue between Switzerland and China
Bern, 20.10.2026 — The 19th round of the bilateral human rights dialogue between Switzerland and China took place on 19 and 20 October 2026 in Switzerland. The delegations held an open and critical discussion on the human rights situation in both countries and on current international challenges. Key areas of focus included the protection of minorities and the impact of artificial intelligence on human rights.
The human rights dialogue took place in Bern on 20 October. The Swiss delegation was led by Dagmar Schmidt Tartagli, deputy head of the Peace and Human Rights Division at the FDFA, whilst the Chinese delegation was led by Yuan Yuan, deputy director-general of the Department of International Organisations and Conferences at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The delegations discussed civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, as well as priorities in multilateral human rights forums and the challenges posed by AI, particularly with regard to accountability, human oversight and human rights due diligence. They also exchanged views on cooperation in the field of the penal system.
Switzerland expressed its concern about the human rights situation in China, particularly with regard to the situation of the Tibetan and Uyghur populations, developments in Hong Kong, and the new law on ‘promoting ethnic unity and progress’ and its potential impact on the linguistic, cultural and religious rights of minorities. Individual human rights cases were also discussed.
A visit to the canton of Fribourg
Prior to the dialogue, the delegations visited the canton of Fribourg on 19 October. In consultation with cantonal authorities, the University of Fribourg and other local stakeholders, they examined Swiss language policy, bilingual education and the coexistence of different language communities.
Human rights dialogue as an instrument of Swiss foreign policy
Switzerland and China have conducted the bilateral human rights dialogue since 1991, facilitating a frank and critical exchange of views even when opinions differ. The dialogue complements Switzerland's multilateral efforts to promote universal respect for human rights and is in line with its Guidelines on Human Rights 2026–29.
Follow-up and further collaboration
In addition to the human rights dialogue, an exchange between experts in the penal system is also planned. The aim is to facilitate specialist dialogue on human rights standards and best practices, and to supplement the human rights dialogue with practical cooperation and knowledge transfer between Switzerland and China.