Xi Jinping, visit to Hungary, where he praised Viktor Orban: “We defied the geopolitical order together”

After Paris and Belgrade, Chinese President Xi Jinping landed in Budapest, where he received a warm welcome on the final leg of his European tour, which was marked by flourishing economic ties and a convergence of views on Russia’s offensive in Ukraine.

Xi Jinping started his day attending a military parade in the courtyard of the presidential palace, together with the Hungarian head of state Tamas Sulyok, under a bright sun, reports AFP, according to Agerpres.

Accompanied by his wife, Peng Liyuan, Xi Jinping was received at the airport on Wednesday evening by the nationalist prime minister of Hungary, Viktor Orban, and his wife Aniko Levai. A dinner with traditional Hungarian specialties followed.

For this visit qualified as “historic” by Budapest, the capital of Hungary decorated in the colors of China was placed under increased security, and the few flags displayed by Tibetan demonstrators were carefully hidden from the eyes of the Chinese president.

Before his arrival, Xi Jinping compared bilateral relations with Hungary to a “golden cruise” in an article published in the pro-government daily Magyar Nemzet.

“As smooth and rich as a Tokay wine”: In a lyrical elan, Xi paid tribute to the “friendship” cultivated by the two countries amid “trials”.

“We defied the geopolitical order together, in an unstable international context,” charting the course of “sovereign states in full independence,” Xi Jinping wrote, an allusion to Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s strategy of going it alone within the European Union.

At odds with Brussels, the Hungarian nationalist leader has turned decisively to the East in recent years. And while Brussels has distanced itself from Beijing, Orban has forged closer ties, rejecting ideological confrontation between “blocs”.

China, the biggest investor in Hungary

This almost three-day visit is an opportunity to “bring our strategic partnership to new heights”, from cultural exchanges to economic cooperation, estimated the Chinese head of state, given that the Asian superpower became the first investor in Hungary last year.

In the opinion of some experts, this is a “diplomatic success” for Budapest, which has already announced the signing of at least 16 agreements, in areas such as railway and road infrastructures, nuclear or automotive energy.

All over Hungary, battery and electric car factories are springing up at an impressive pace, with investments of tens of billions of euros.

This raised concerns among the opposition, which denounced the lack of transparency surrounding the contracts, the impact of the factories on the environment and corruption, with the construction enriching, according to the opposition, “Orban’s circle”.

Received on Monday at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Xi Jinping had “sincere” talks with French President Emmanuel Macron on trade disputes between China and Europe or Beijing-Moscow ties, viewed with suspicion by the West amid the war against Ukraine.

But during this last leg in Hungary, there were no topics of contention, and the media were kept at bay. Very few details about the program have been made public.

“Money has no color”

Starting at 17:30 (15:30 GMT), Xi Jinping is scheduled to visit the Carmelite Monastery, the residence of the Hungarian Prime Minister, for a meeting with Viktor Orban, followed by a statement to the media.

“This is the opportunity to show the rest (of the) EU” the virtues of cooperation with China, Ja Ian Chong, a political scientist at the University of Singapore, points out.

“Also, he will not have to face delicate discussions about his relationship with Moscow,” he added.

Because Beijing and Budapest are on the same wavelength, advocating for a peaceful settlement in Ukraine, while remaining close to the Kremlin.

On the streets of Budapest, while some invoke human rights, Laszlo Toth, a 52-year-old security guard, believes that there are no reasons for Hungarians to show contempt for the Chinese president’s visit.

“Money has no color, as they say, and I am sure that even in Western Europe they would be delighted to benefit from such investments”, he estimated.

For his first trip to Europe after 2019, Xi Jinping also made a stopover in Serbia, another very friendly country, where President Aleksandar Vucic gave him a welcome characterized by “respect” and “love”.

Publisher: BP

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