Every year in the Chinese lunar calendar is associated with one of 12 animals combined with one of five elements: metal (gold), earth, water, wood or fire. This year is the year of the fire rooster and celebrations to mark the new year take place on Saturday 28 January 2017.
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Roosters are hardworking, resourceful, courageous, and talented. For more information on fire roosters click here.
Chinese New Year in China involves human migration to rival Thanksgiving in the US. According to Forbes, the country’s economic planning body, the National Development and Reform Commission, estimates that almost three billion trips are expected in China during the holiday this year.
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With only 13,800 Chinese in Switzerland, its transport network is unlikely to be overwhelmed. The cantons with the largest Chinese populations are Vaud (3,300), Zurich (3,150) and Geneva (1,080). In addition, there are 990 Taiwanese living in Switzerland. At 31 December 2016, there were 2,700 Chinese seeking asylum in Switzerland.
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Trade between Switzerland and China is significant and growing. In 2015 China was Switzerland’s 6th largest export market and 7th largest import market. Switzerland is one of the few European countries to have a free trade agreement with China. One year after signing the deal on 1 July 2014, China-bound exports were up 3% and imports from China up 4%. In 2015, Switzerland exported CHF 19.3 billion to China, around 7% of total exports. The same year, imports were CHF 12.4 billion or 5% of total imports.
A list of Chinese New year celebrations in French-speaking Switzerland can be found here.
More on this:
Swiss-Chinese Chamber of Commerce (in English)
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