Xi Jinping visits Hungary in May. China is a stronger force than the EU, Viktor Orban’s office explains

The Chinese leader will visit Budapest between May 8-10, Gergely Gulyas, the chief of staff of the Hungarian prime minister, confirmed Thursday, quoted by Reuters and the Hungarian publication Telex.

Xi Jinping will arrive in Hungary as part of a European tour that also includes France and Serbia.

Viktor Orban’s cabinet official said it is in the interest of the Hungarian economy to maintain good relations with as many partners as possible, and China is one of the great powers and represents a significant force, even stronger than the European Union.

Regarding the visit, officials said preparations are still underway and that Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó is already meeting with his Chinese counterparts.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban has maintained a good relationship with China despite rising tensions between the EU and Beijing, and has met Xi Jinping on several occasions.

In February, China offered to support Hungary including on public security issues, a matter that goes beyond trade and investment relations, an unusual move, according to Reuters.

The announcement was made during a rare meeting of a senior Beijing official with Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

In Budapest, Public Security Minister Wang Xiaohong said China hopes to deepen law enforcement and security ties with Hungary as the two countries mark 75 years of diplomatic relations.

In Budapest, Wang met with Interior Minister Sandor Pinter and signed documents on law enforcement and security cooperation, Xinhua said.

This security deal with Hungary was a diplomatic victory for China in the EU, as the bloc is now increasingly weighing its ties with the world’s second-largest economy due to differences over human rights, trade imbalances and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Budapest’s increasingly close ties with Beijing have already cracked the EU’s collective front, analysts note.

Hungary has repeatedly opposed EU positions critical of China on issues such as human rights and welcomed Chinese investment, despite the EU’s call for members to align relations with China with those of the bloc.

Hungary is home to Huawei Technologies’ largest manufacturing and logistics base outside of China, despite warnings from the European Commission that the telecoms giant poses a risk to EU security.

Since 2016, Huawei has partnered with Shanghai-based artificial intelligence firm Yitu Technology to work on smart city solutions to improve public safety and police activities through the use of artificial intelligence and surveillance.

And Hungary will soon host the first European factory of the Chinese car manufacturer BYD.