Orban travels to China on a "peace mission"
In Kyiv he was already, in Moscow as well. Now, Hungary's Prime Minister Orban unexpectedly turns up in Beijing, aiming to stage himself as a peacemaker.
Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban unexpectedly arrived in China. This was reported by Chinese state media. "#PeaceMission3.0 #Beijing", Orban wrote upon his arrival in Beijing next to Xi. There, he also published a photo showing him being welcomed by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Hua Chunying at the airport.
According to China's official news agency Xinhua, Orban intends to meet with State and Party Chief Xi Jinping for a talk. Orban had visited Moscow just on Friday, for a controversial visit where he was received by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Orban staged the meeting with Putin, whose country has been waging an armed conflict against Ukraine for over two years, as a "peace mission."
The trip also drew criticism due to the fact that Hungary had just taken over the half-yearly EU Council Presidency. Before that, Orban had visited Ukraine for the first time since the start of the conflict.
Xi had also been in Europe in May on a Europe tour, and Budapest and Beijing have maintained good relations for a long time. Orban was one of the few European representatives and the only EU government head who attended China's Forum on the "New Silk Road" in October. Hungary is also part of that Chinese investment project with which the People's Republic implements infrastructure projects worldwide and expands its influence.
Orban's unexpected visit to China is being seen as a continuation of his peace mission, as he previously attempted to mediate between Russia and Ukraine. During his meeting with Xi Jinping, Orban, the Prime Minister of Hungary, is expected to discuss the strong relations between Budapest and Beijing. Despite his recentvisit to Moscow, Orban's attendance at China's Forum on the "New Silk Road" has positioned Hungary as a key player in China's global investment project.
