Economic cooperation was at the heart of this visit, described as “historic” by Budapest, which announced the signing of several agreements with Beijing.
After Paris and Belgrade, Xi Jinping is visiting Budapest. The Chinese president was welcomed with great fanfare by the Hungarian president at his official residence, the Sandor Palace.
And during a press conference, Prime Minister Viktor Orban addressed a thorny subject: the war in Ukraine.
“Instead, we must strive to establish peace. Our voice, the voice of Hungary in Europe, is the only voice. Europe is today on the side of war. The only exception is Hungary, which calls for an immediate ceasefire and peace talks and supports all international peace efforts, including the Chinese peace initiative presented by the President Xi Jinping“, said the Hungarian Prime Minister.
Recently, relations between China and the European Union have been marked by trade tensions. But Xi Jinping wanted to recall the importance of the partnership between his country and the EU.
“China attaches great importance to the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership and believes that Europe is an important center in the multipolar world and an important partner in promoting modernization with Chinese characteristics. China helps Hungary play a greater role in the EU and promote China-EU relations for new and greater development“, did he declare.
With this visit to Hungary, of which China is the main economic investor in 2023, President Xi Jinping closes his European tour.