Hungary at Table Where New World Order Is Made

Unlike Europe, Hungary is sitting at the table where a new world order is being made, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said in Gyor, western Hungary, on Friday, at the opening of Szechenyi University's Confucius Institute.

At the opening ceremony of the Confucius Institute in Gyor, Peter Szijjarto emphasized that the establishment of the institute is a sign of mutual respect, and that it is expected to enhance cooperation and strengthen people to people relations, said the statement issued by the ministry.

He pointed out that Hungary now hosts the highest number of Confucius Institutes in Central Europe, and thanked the leadership of Jiaxing University of China for deciding to enter into a partnership with Szechenyi Istvan University.

This is a major step forward for us, because just like Szechenyi University, you also place increased focus on engineering and natural sciences, and share the belief that industry and education must work closely together,

he said. He also expressed the view that the alliance between the two higher education institutions strengthens Hungarian-Chinese economic cooperation and gives new momentum to reinforcing the foundations of the Hungarian economy.

Amid the sweeping changes taking place in the world, Europe has been weakened to the extreme, and since Brussels "remains trapped in outdated ideologies," the bloc has become isolated.

"Today, Europe is not only not being dealt cards at the table where the rules of the coming world order are being written, but quite simply Europe is not even sitting at that table," he stated. "Unlike Europe, we Hungarians are sitting at this particular table where the future rules of the world order are being written. And this proves the success of the foreign policy strategy of the past decade, when we set ourselves the goal of ensuring that every major global power center holds an interest in Hungary’s success. And by now, we have made this a reality. It is worth considering that the Hungary's Prime Minister is today the only political leader anywhere in Europe who is able to maintain relations based on mutual respect simultaneously with Washington, Moscow, and Beijing," he highlighted.

He then pointed out that in the new world order, the role of the Eastern world has strengthened to an amazing extent, and that China has become a dominant player in every respect.

This confirms that we made the right decision sixteen years ago, when we adopted the Eastern opening strategy, which has now reached the point where a strategic partnership has been established between the People’s Republic of China and Hungary, covering all areas in all conditions,

he stressed. "Hungary has profited in all areas from this cooperation. We consider that cooperation as an opportunity to be explored. As opposed to the European mainstream, which considers China as a systemic rival," he said.

The minister condemned processes pointing toward a renewed division of the world into blocks, noting that Hungary lost out on such a division during the decades of the Cold War. The Hungarian government is therefore interested in global cooperation based on mutual respect, he said. In this context, he remarked that Hungary is one of the best examples of how much can be gained from connectivity, as the country has by now become a highly important meeting point for Eastern and Western companies, and the only country in Europe where these players can cooperate smoothly.

He also noted that as a result, five of the world’s ten largest electric battery manufacturers, including three Chinese companies, have settled in Hungary, and that Hungary has now become the number one European investment destination for Chinese companies.
"Last year, 31 percent of all Chinese corporate investments directed to Europe targeted Hungary (…) These investments mean tens of thousands of modern, reliable jobs for Hungary, for the Hungarian people, and for Hungarian families," he added.

He also recalled that the two countries have done a great deal to further strengthen cooperation, including reaching an agreement on visa-free travel, and that within the region, Budapest can be reached by the highest number of direct flights from Chinese cities.

Cover photo: Hungarian Minister of  Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto (Source: Facebook)