In a statement issued by his ministry, Szijjártó said strengthening bilateral cooperation is a priority for both China and Hungary. He noted that Hungary benefitted significantly from this partnership, receiving 44% of all Chinese investments in Europe last year
Chinese companies currently have investments exceeding HUF 4 trillion underway in Hungary, Szijjártó said. These projects are expected to create tens of thousands of jobs and serve as a foundation for economic growth in the coming years.
He added that discussions are underway to increase the number of weekly direct flights between China and Hungary from the current 21. He also highlighted that the number of guest nights spent by Chinese tourists in Hungary has surpassed pre-pandemic levels.
Szijjártó announced the opening of another Confucius Institute at the University of Győr, the sixth such institute in Hungary.
Additionally, a work group for agricultural cooperation recently held its first meeting, focusing on a regionalization agreement to prevent the total suspension of poultry or pork exports in the event of localized outbreaks of avian influenza or African swine fever.
Szijjártó mentioned ongoing projects such as the upgrade of the Budapest-Belgrade rail line in collaboration with Serbia and China. He also announced plans to build Europe’s largest border crossing in Röszke, on the border with Serbia. He said trilateral cooperation between Hungary, Serbia, and China would be the best approach to constructing a crude oil pipeline connecting Hungary and Serbia.
Szijjártó criticized the European Union’s punitive tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, warning that such measures pose a threat to Europe’s economy and competitiveness. He called for improved European-Chinese cooperation through negotiations.
Addressing the war in Ukraine, Szijjártó said both sides agreed that avoiding escalation was essential.
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