Chinese President Xi Jinping and his delegation will be visiting Hungary from Wednesday to Friday, Government spokesperson Eszter Vitalyos was quoted by the Hungarian Origo news site as saying. The visit holds historic significance, as it marks the Chinese President's first trip to the continent since the Covid pandemic. President Xi Jinping will only pay visits to two EU countries, the spokesperson added.
Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok and Cinese President Xi Jinping will hold talks on Thursday.
Ms Vitalyos also pointed out that in both 2020 and 2023, China was the biggest source of investment in Hungary, which is why Hungary is at the forefront of automotive development. Hungary is open to Chinese investment, she added, and then underlined that
the fact that CATL is building a factory in Debrecen and BYD has also chosen Hungary is a sign of the confidence of Chinese companies.
The development of the Budapest-Belgrade rail link is also progressing at a good pace, the spokesman added. The possibility to reach Budapest from seven Chinese cities without a transfer is a key factor for bilateral relations, she stresed. From March 14, Hungarian citizens can stay in China for 14 days without a visa, the spokesperson remarked, adding that at least a dozen and a half agreements will be signed during the visit. Eszter Vitalyos underscored that China was Hungary's ninth most important foreign trade partner, adding that naturally – during the talks – the two sides will also discuss China's peace efforts.
