A strong and competitive European automobile industry is in Hungary's interest, therefore it is necessary to increase performance and accelerate the shift towards electric cars in Europe, the minister said. Protectionism and punitive tariffs are foolish and are a step against cooperation and the free market economy, he added.

Nagy was speaking on the occasion of Szechenyi Istvan University and the Hungarian Mobility Development Agency (HUMDA), which operates under the school's aegis, signing of a memorandum of understanding on research cooperation with the European unit of Chinese EV maker NIO.

Chinese ambassador to Hungary Gong Tao said China has achieved significant results in green transition, Chinese companies contribute to the sustainable development of the world economy, and the new Chinese vehicle industry companies settled in Hungary also participate in this, such as NIO.

VP of NIO Europe Hui Zhang said the university is at the forefront of innovation and preparation for the future and Hungary's commitment to innovation made this cooperation possible.