A prosperous, stable and peaceful China is important to Switzerland and the world, according to President of the Swiss Confederation Ueli Maurer.

His comments come ahead of official visits by Premier Li Keqiang to Switzerland and Germany, his first trip to Europe as premier.

"We feel honored being the first European country to be visited by the new premier. The economic and political, as well as cultural relationship, with China is, for us, very important and valuable, and we wish to expand and deepen this relationship," Maurer said in a written reply to China Daily.