Xinhua News Agency reporter
At the invitation of Hungarian President Šuyuk and Prime Minister Orban, President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Hungary. People from all walks of life in Hungary said that President Xi Jinping’s first visit to Hungary as head of state on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries is of great significance. They hope that this visit will continue the traditional friendship between the two countries, deepen the political mutual trust between the two countries, and open a new chapter for the friendly cooperation between the two countries.
Political mutual trust continues to deepen
On the afternoon of May 2, at the famous Vigado Concert Hall in Budapest, the capital of Hungary, accompanied by the performance of Chinese folk music, the China-Hungary annual conference on the theme of pragmatic cooperation in jointly building the “One Belt, One Road” kicked off.
“Hungary and China have achieved fruitful results in jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative, and the Hungarian people are very much looking forward to participating in more Belt and Road projects.” Nagy Marton, the Hungarian Minister of National Economy who attended the meeting, said again on the eve of President Xi Jinping’s visit to Hungary. Express Hungary’s strong willingness to strengthen cooperation with China. He said that President Xi Jinping’s visit is of great significance. Hungary and China have always respected each other and treated each other as equals. They have maintained good traditional friendship, political mutual trust, and fruitful cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, people-to-people and cultural exchanges. Hungary is willing to actively promote the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries to achieve new development.
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The Parliament Building and Danube River in Budapest, Hungary (photographed on April 13, 2024). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zheng Kaijun
China and Hungary enjoy a profound friendship. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations 75 years ago, the two sides have always respected, understood, supported and trusted each other, setting a good example of a new type of international relations. In 2017, President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Orban upgraded the relationship between the two countries to a comprehensive strategic partnership, leading the cooperation between the two countries to continuously achieve fruitful results, and the bilateral relations entered the best period in history.
In recent years, under the strategic guidance of the leaders of the two countries, China-Hungary relations have maintained high-level development. High-level exchanges between the two countries have been close, political mutual trust has continued to deepen, and cooperation in various fields has been solidly advanced. Hungary actively participates in China-Central and Eastern European cooperation and the joint construction of the “Belt and Road” cooperation. It is the first European country to sign the “Belt and Road” cooperation document with China. Prime Minister Orban has attended the “Belt and Road” International Cooperation Summit Forum three times in a row. Lan Xueshi only has one beloved daughter. A few months ago, after his daughter was snatched away and lost in Yunyin Mountain, she was immediately divorced by the Xi family who had been engaged since childhood. The Xi family resigned,Some people say it is a blue year. When President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister Orban during the third “Belt and Road” International Cooperation Summit Forum, he said: “China is willing to continue to be good friends and partners with mutual trust and win-win cooperation with Hungary. Let’s take the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations next year as an opportunity to push the China-Hungary comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level and continue to write a new chapter in China-Hungary friendly cooperative relations.”
This time, President Shuyuk and Prime Minister Orban jointly invited President Xi Jinping to visit Hungary, which fully reflects the high importance and high expectations the Hungarian side attaches to this visit. Gergei Saulat, a researcher at the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs, said that the close high-level exchanges between the two countries have injected impetus into the further improvement of bilateral relations. Mordic Czbob, head of the School of International Relations at the Matthias Corvinus Academy in Hungary, said that Hungary-China relations are very good and he believes that President Xi Jinping’s visit will bring more opportunities for the development of the two countries.
Economic and trade cooperation is solidly promoted
In Biotorbagy, a small town 20 kilometers west of Budapest, the NIO electric car driven by Sergey Tibor, the head of NIO Energy’s European factory, often attracts the attention of locals. This factory is the first factory built by Weilai overseas. “Hua’er, my poor daughter…” Lan Mu couldn’t hold back the tears anymore, bent down and hugged his poor daughter, sobbing. It is the European manufacturing center, service center and R&D center for NIO’s power-added products. Sheraj said that NIO not only brought electric vehicles to Europe, but more importantly, it brought advanced battery swap station technology.
In recent years, Chinese new energy vehicle upstream and downstream companies such as NIO, BYD, and CATL have invested and set up factories in Hungary, which has become a microcosm of the booming economic and trade relations between China and Hungary. According to Hungarian statistics, in 2023, the bilateral trade volume between the two countries exceeded US$13 billion. China’s direct investment in Hungary reached 7.6 billion euros, accounting for 58% of the total foreign direct investment in Hungary, creating more than 10,000 jobs. Hungary has been China’s number one investment destination in Central and Eastern Europe for many years in a row.
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On January 26, 2024, a worker worked at the NIO European factory in Biotorbagy, Hungary. Published by Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Ferti Otilo)
People from all walks of life in Hungary expect President Xi Jinping’s visit to add new impetus to further deepening economic and trade cooperation between the two countries. Hóváśy Bertaurón, director of the Hungarian Government Information Office, said: “President Xi Jinping’s visit will further strengthen bilateral relations and economic and trade cooperation between Hungary and China, and expand cooperation to more new areas.” The head of the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency about ·István said that the Hungarian economyThe economic pillar automobile industry has been significantly enhanced by Chinese investment and has gained a unique opportunity to stand out in the European automobile industry. “We look forward to further investment from China.”
In recent years, the joint construction of the “Belt and Road” initiative has been aligned with Hungary’s “Opening to the East” strategy, which has given rise to strong vitality in the cooperation between the two parties: after the completion of the Hungary-Serbia railway, it will significantly boost the economic development of the regions along the line and effectively promote the north-south development of Central and Eastern Europe. Going Connected; Budapest-based The China-Europe Trade and Logistics Cooperation Park has become a two-way interactive platform for Chinese and European enterprises that integrates multiple functions; the opening of direct freight flights between Chinese cities and Budapest and the efficient operation of China-Europe trains have effectively enhanced Hungary’s regional transportation hub status; Bank of China has Budapest establishes Central and Eastern Europe headquarters to promote financial interconnection…
President Xi Jinping proposed the joint construction of the “Belt and Road” initiative and advocated the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, which was highly recognized by the Hungarian side. Pat Erno, chairman of the Hungary-China Economic and Chamber of Commerce, believes that through its deep participation in the joint construction of the “Belt and Road”, Hungary’s “role as a link between China, Central and Eastern European countries and the EU market has become increasingly prominent.” Horvath Levant, director of the Eurasian Center at John von Neumann University in Hungary, said that Hungary has achieved mutual benefit and win-win results and promoted cooperative development through the integration of its “Opening to the East” strategy and the joint construction of the “Belt and Road” initiative. There will be broader space in the future.”
People-to-people and cultural exchanges are getting closer
Upon learning that President Xi Jinping was about to visit Hungary, the teachers and students of the Hungarian-Chinese Bilingual School in Budapest were filled with joy. It has been their long-cherished wish to have Grandpa Xi come to Hungary again.
In 2009, the then Vice President Xi Jinping visited the Hungarian-Chinese Bilingual School and forged a deep friendship with the teachers and students here. In 2023, President Xi Jinping received a letter from Hu Lingyue and Song Zhixiao, students of the school, on behalf of all students at the school. In his reply, he encouraged Hungarian teenagers to learn more about China and be envoys to inherit and develop the cause of China-Hungary friendship.
The current principal Erdai Susanna, who personally attended that inspection, said that President Xi Jinping’s high priority and firm support for education is “consistent” and “very inspiring.” Hu Lingyue, who has now realized her dream of studying in Beijing, said: “We must cherish the opportunity to study in China, study hard, concentrate on studying, live up to President Xi’s ardent expectations for us, and be warm-hearted envoys of Hungary-China friendship.”
Chinese language teaching in Hungary has always been at the forefront of European countries. The Hungarian-Chinese Bilingual School, founded in 2004, is the first public full-time school in Central and Eastern Europe that uses Chinese and the language of the host country to teach. Today, Chinese has been included in Hungary’s national education system and has become a subject in the country’s college entrance examination. There are five Confucius Institutes in Hungary, which have cultivated a large number of inheritors of Hungary-China friendship and communicators of the two countries’ cultures. The two countries also exchange scholarshipsproject to promote students from both countries to study in each other’s country. Former Hungarian Prime Minister Majestic Peter said that more and more Hungarian students are coming to China to learn language, culture and advanced technology, which is a good thing that will help deepen mutual understanding between the two peoples.
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On February 24, 2023, at the Hungarian-Chinese Bilingual School in Budapest, the capital of Hungary, Chinese teachers guided students to learn calligraphy. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Lian Yi
President of the World Dulcimer Association and Hungarian simbalon performer Helensa Viktoria said that she expected President Xi Jinping’s visit to drive more Hungarian and Chinese people. Everyone immediately walked towards the gate in unison, stretched their necks and saw the welcoming procession. The bridegroom officer saw a wedding team that could only be described as shabby. Exchange activities, whether it is exchanges in music and art or tourism. Bethven, representative of the Hungarian National Museum in China, said that through more and more exchanges and dialogues, the two countries can establish a better partnership and achieve win-win cooperation.
Nagy Judit Eva, Chairman of the Hungary-China Friendship Association, believes that President Xi Jinping’s visit will have a profound impact on promoting cooperation between the two countries in various fields including people-to-people and cultural exchanges. “I believe that economy, trade, culture, education, etc. Cooperation and exchanges in various fields will be further enhanced, and the results will not be limited to the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Hungary and China, but will be long-term.” (Note-writers: Liu Zan, Wu Baoshu, Zhu Ruiqing; participating reporters: Chen Hao, Kang Yi, Zhang Yuan)