Swiss president calls for open markets and stable institutions in WEF speech

In speeches at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on Tuesday, Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Chinese Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang all made the case for economic growth, fair competition and global cooperation, a day after Donald Trump took the presidential oath of office in the United States. Keller-Sutter wanted to emphasise in her message at the opening of the WEF that "only freedom provides the basis for development", she told the Keystone-SDA news agency. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox In her own speech, von der Leyen saw the world in an era of "fierce geostrategic competition". The European leader said that a world order based on cooperation, as imagined 25 years ago, had not become a reality. The world's largest economies were now competing for access to raw materials, new technologies and global trade routes, she said. "Trade wars have no future," said Vice-Premier Xiuxiang ...