China and Hungary establish strategic partnership.
China and Hungary have a strong relationship: China is investing in battery factories and electric car production in Hungary, and Hungary is the only EU member state participating in the questionable "New Silk Road" infrastructure and investment initiative.
Chinese President Xi Jinping recently met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in Budapest, where they agreed on a "comprehensive strategic partnership." Both leaders shared their thoughts in a live broadcast on Hungarian state television.
Orbán stated that Hungary has always considered China a friend. Currently, Chinese companies are creating jobs for tens of thousands of Hungarians. Hungary plans to benefit from the opportunities arising from high-quality Chinese investments in the e-mobility sector and from the transfer of Chinese technology, he added.
Xi expressed his support for strengthening their relationship further. "We both believe that the longstanding friendship between our countries has strong foundations," he said. Additionally, Xi visited Budapest to mark the 75th anniversary of establishing diplomatic ties between Hungary and China.
Intensive cooperation
During the visit, the two countries signed several intergovernmental agreements. While Hungarian state television was the only media allowed to attend the ceremony, it did not provide specific details. The "comprehensive strategic partnership" between China and Hungary was also described vaguely. According to Orbán, the partnership also aims to cooperate in the nuclear industry. "This has not happened before," he stated, but did not elaborate.
Xi's trip to Europe began in France and continued in Serbia before arriving in Hungary, which is the only EU country taking part in China's "New Silk Road" initiative. The Budapest-Belgrade railway, a 350-kilometer railroad being financed by Chinese loans, is one of China's projects in Hungary. Additionally, a battery factory under construction in Debrecen by Chinese company CATL is expected to employ 9,000 people in the future. However, this project has faced backlash from environmentalists and has led to legal disputes. [h2] Hungary was the final destination of Xi Jinping's European trip, with the only EU country participating in China's controversial "New Silk Road" infrastructure and investment initiative. The Hungarian government is seen as China-friendly, as Orbán hopes to use friendly relations with Beijing as a counterweight to his often isolated position in the EU. Furthermore, China is building a 350-kilometer railroad link between Budapest and Belgrade, financed by Chinese loans, and has plans to construct large electric vehicle production and battery factories. Debrecen will be home to a battery factory by Chinese company CATL, which is expected to employ 9,000 people in the future. However, this project has sparked controversy due to environmental concerns.
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Source: www.ntv.de
