Campaign against Chinese companies damaging to European economy, minister says

The ministry cited Szijjarto as saying in response to a question at a joint press conference with Czech counterpart Jan Lipavsky that when the European Union takes action against Chinese companies, they should look at Hungary and see that the largest German and Chinese companies very closely cooperate in the car industry.

“I think that the campaign against Chinese companies is also damaging for the European economy because we can see the close interlinks between German and Chinese companies, and we can also see that certain German company strategies, whose success is also in Europe’s interest, cannot be successful without Chinese suppliers,” he said.

“It is possible to manufacture ideologies and say that something is politically unacceptable, but the facts are facts,” he added.

He said he was looking forward to the upcoming Chinese presidential visit to Hungary and added that details would be announced on April 29.

In response to a question concerning a possible Hungary-Ukraine summit, he said this could take place only after the ethnic Hungarian community in Transcarpathia gets back the rights they had had before 2015.

“Only when the rights are restored, not when promises are made, can a summit be held,” he said. “We are ready for it. Our expectations are clear, and we have submitted them in eleven points,” he added. “I am continually in talks with my colleagues [Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy] Yermak and [Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro] Kuleba, and they know what we would like, they know what we expect, and I hope at some point they will take them into consideration,” he said.

In response to a question concerning the approval of a US support package for Ukraine, he said assessing the decision should be left to US voters who will have the opportunity in November to express their opinion about what future they wish for the world in terms of peace or war.

“We sincerely hope that the decision will take the world closer to peace and not towards the escalation of war,” he added.

“We believe that weapons supplies extend the war and result in further people dying, further destruction, and whereas we are aware that this position is in a significant minority in Europe, but it still exists, and we still maintain this position,” he said.

Szijjarto said only a diplomatic settlement could end the conflict and every warring side must sit at the table for peace talks.

He reiterated that the government attributed great importance to Visegrad cooperation and there has always been more areas where the affected countries were in agreement than those where they were not in agreement. Only the current difference in opinion concerning the Ukraine war is rather striking, he added.

“I hope that all four of us will be wise enough to recognise that there are ten times more matters in which we agree (…) and we represent our position together in these because that is best for everyone,” he said.

He assured Lipavsky of his support for the decision to meet Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony later in the day, adding that it was completely normal and should not be criticised if a guest also meets other political players.

He added that he would also meet non government party politicians during various foreign visits, as was the case recently in Prague.