China, Hungary elevate ties to all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership

Chinese President Xi Jinping holds talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest, Hungary, May 9, 2024. [Xinhua/Xie Huanchi]

BUDAPEST -- China and Hungary decided Thursday to elevate bilateral relations to an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership for the new era.

The decision was announced during the talks between visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Hungary, ushering in a new and important opportunity for the development of bilateral relations, Xi said.

Elaborating on the decision during a joint press conference with Orban, Xi said he and Orban agreed that China and Hungary have always been good friends that trust and support each other as well as good partners that seek win-win cooperation over the years. It is natural for the two countries to further upgrade relations and enrich bilateral cooperation.

The two sides should take the establishment of the all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership for the new era as an opportunity to inject new and strong impetus into bilateral cooperation and create a better future for the two peoples, Xi said.

China-Hungary relations are currently at the best period in history and their comprehensive strategic partnership has maintained high-level development. With deepening political mutual trust and fruitful cooperation in various fields, the two countries have set a model for building a new type of international relations, Xi said during the talks with Orban.

Hungary is welcomed to be China's companion on its path to Chinese modernization, which will surely bring more opportunities to Hungary and other countries in the world, Xi said.

China is willing to jointly forge greater synergy in development strategies with Hungary, make good use of mechanisms such as the China-Hungary Inter-Governmental Belt and Road Cooperation Committee, promote orderly cooperation in fields including infrastructure and green energy, complete the construction of the Hungary-Serbia Railway on schedule, and actively expand cooperation in emerging areas such as clean energy and artificial intelligence, Xi said.

In order to enrich the China-Hungary all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership for the new era, the two sides are committed to enhancing synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Hungary's "Eastern Opening" policy, said a joint statement on the establishment of the all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership for the new era released by the two countries.

Leveraging mechanisms and platforms such as the Belt and Road Cooperation Promotion Center, the two sides will pursue deeper and more substantive progress in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, jointly ensure the safety and security and smooth progress of relevant cooperation projects between the two countries, and strive for more fruitful results in practical cooperation, the statement said.

The two sides should continue supporting the teaching of both countries' languages, Xi said during his talks with Orban.

China is willing to strengthen multilateral communication and coordination with Hungary, advocate an equal and orderly multi-polar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, safeguard international fairness and justice, promote global governance in a more just and equitable direction, and make positive efforts to build a community with a shared future for mankind, he said.

Hailing Europe as an important pole in a multi-polar world and an important partner on China's path toward Chinese modernization, Xi said it is hoped that Hungary will take the opportunity of taking on the rotating presidency of the European Union (EU) in the second half of this year to promote the steady and sound development of China-EU relations.

The cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC) has a strong internal driving force, Xi said, expressing hope that Hungary will continue to play an important role in promoting the China-CEEC cooperation to better benefit people of various countries.

For his part, Orban told Xi that his visit once again demonstrates the profound friendship and huge potential between Hungary and China, and is of great historical significance to Hungary and Hungary-China relations.

Hungary supports China in safeguarding its core interests and legitimate rights, and has adhered and will adhere to the one-China principle, said Orban.

The Hungarian government "reaffirms that there is but one China in the world, that the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing China. Hungary opposes all forms of separatist activities at breaking the unity of China," said the joint statement released Thursday.

His country does not identify with the rhetoric of so-called "overcapacity" or "de-risking." China's development is an opportunity rather than a risk for Europe, and Hungary is willing to strengthen multilateral communication and cooperation with China to jointly safeguard world peace and stability, said Orban during his talks with Xi.

The two leaders had an in-depth exchange of views on the Ukraine crisis.

Xi stressed that China has always been committed to promoting peace talks and is willing to continue working with relevant parties to make positive efforts to realize peace at an early date.

Chinese President Xi Jinping holds talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest, Hungary, May 9, 2024. [Xinhua/Yin Bogu]

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban jointly meet the press after their talks in Budapest, Hungary, May 9, 2024. [Xinhua/Xie Huanchi]