Szijjártó: Don’t politicize prosperity, let the economy speak Chinese

The minister attended a working breakfast with executives of Chinese companies, where he emphasized that Hungary is proud to have become the top European destination for investments from the East Asian country. The government’s goal is to maintain this position, as it greatly supports economic growth and structural transformation. He explained that Hungary respects the geopolitical and global economic realities and firmly opposes the politicized and ideologically driven approaches taken by some EU leaders.

“We believe that making economic cooperation between China and Europe impossible, or even just restricting it, would cause serious economic difficulties for the entire European economy,” he warned. “We side with the players of the economy. If something works well economically, politicians should not ruin it. Hungary is the best example of how cooperation between Western and Chinese economies can bring significant benefits for both sides,” he added.

Szijjártó argued that Hungary is proof that Europe can reap substantial economic benefits from cooperating with Chinese companies.

“Hungary is proof that Europe can effectively respond to the great technological revolution taking place in the world by working closely with China. Hungary is also proof that Europe can successfully navigate the global transformation of the automotive industry if it does not restrict collaboration between European and Chinese companies,” he listed. “We firmly reject any attempt to divide the world into blocs again. We stand firmly for a world that is based on connections, connectivity, and global cooperation founded on mutual respect,” he continued.

In line with this, the minister described it as an important economic policy objective for Hungary to remain the number one destination in Europe for Chinese investments. “Last year, 34% of all Chinese investments into Europe came to Hungary; the year before that, it was 44%. In 2020, 2023, and 2024, Chinese companies brought the most investments to our country,” he reported. “According to our assessment, these Chinese investments have all brought highly advanced technology and a large number of reliable jobs to Hungary. Without these investments, both the Hungarian economy and Hungary as a country would be poorer,” he concluded.