Li’s visit to Hungary further cements ties with Central and Eastern Europe
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday wrapped up his four-day visit to Hungary with enhanced bilateral ties and strengthened China-Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) cooperation.
During his talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Tuesday, Li said China is committed to further advancing cooperation so as to lift the bilateral relationship to new heights.
When talking of friendship and China-Hungary ties, Li said China views Hungary as an important partner in CEE, a good friend in the EU, and a key partner in international affairs.
“We are willing to further deepen ties with Hungary on the basis of mutual respect and equal treatment, so as to lift the traditional friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation to a new level,” Li told Orban during the talks held at the National Assembly building in Hungary.
In May this year, China and Hungary elevated their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership during Orban’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.
Hungary is among the first group of countries that recognized the People’s Republic of China (PRC) by establishing diplomatic ties on October 6, 1949, just days after the founding of the PRC.
Relations between China and Hungary are currently at a historic high, with frequent high-level visits held and mutual trust and cooperation fostered between the two.
In 2015, Hungary signed the memorandum of understanding over China’s Belt and Road initiative, becoming the first European country to establish and create a Belt and Road working group mechanism with China. This signified a successful planting of the China-proposed initiative with Hungary’s “opening to the East” policy.
In the hope of promoting connectivity in the region, China is willing to greater unite the Belt and Road initiative with Hungary’s own development strategies, expand bilateral trade and investment, and enhance cooperation on key areas including infrastructure construction, Li said during the talks.
Proposed by President Xi in 2013, the Belt and Road initiative aims to build trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient Silk Road routes. It comprises of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.
Li said China encourages more Chinese enterprises to invest in Hungary and expects more facilitation from the Hungarian side, adding that China is willing to import more sought-after Hungarian products. This heightened cooperation is certainly advantageous for both sides. While China is Hungary’s most important trading partner outside of Europe, Hungary remains China’s third largest trading partner in CEE.