China–Hungary relations

File:Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Hungary (中华人民共和国驻匈牙利大使馆).jpg

File:Hungarian Embassy in Beijing.JPG

In 2017, China and Hungary declared their relationship a comprehensive strategic partnership.{{Cite book |last=Arežina |first=Sanja |url= |title=China and Eurasian Powers in a Multipolar World Order 2.0: Security, Diplomacy, Economy and Cyberspace |date=2023 |publisher=Routledge |others=Mher Sahakyan |isbn=978-1-003-35258-7 |edition= |location=New York |chapter=China's Relations with Central and Eastern European Countries in a Multipolar World Order 2.0 |oclc=1353290533}}{{Rp|page=161}}

In 2021, it was revealed that Fudan University was planning a campus in Budapest. This led to pushback in the country and to protests, leading the Hungarian government to delay the plans and promise that it will hold a referendum on the issue.{{Cite news |last1=Keller-Alant |first1=Akos |last2=Standish |first2=Reid |date=8 June 2022 |title=What's Next For China's Fudan University Campus In Hungary? |work=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/hungary-orban-china-fudan-budapest/31888800.html |access-date=14 March 2023 |archive-date=14 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314154018/https://www.rferl.org/a/hungary-orban-china-fudan-budapest/31888800.html |url-status=live }} On 22 May 2022, the Constitutional Court ruled the referendum as unconstitutional as it concerns an international agreement. Hungarian officials also promised to resume the project after the victory of the ruling Fidesz during the 2022 parliamentary elections.

Hungary has formally blocked the European Union from formally criticizing China's actions in Hong Kong in both 2020 and 2021.{{Rp|page=162}}

On 20 February 2023, Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Politburo member and top diplomat Wang Yi visited Budapest to meet with prime minister Orbán. During the meeting, Hungarian foreign minister Péter Szijjártó stated that "[w]hen we have faced crises in recent years, Hungary has always come out of them stronger than it went into them, but Hungarian-Chinese cooperation has played an absolutely indispensable role in this". On 27 February 2023, Orbán backed the peace plan released by Wang Yi about ending the Russian invasion of Ukraine.{{cite news |last1=PREUSSEN |first1=WILHELMINE |date=27 February 2023 |title=Orbán backs China's Ukraine peace plan |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/viktor-orban-hungary-ukraine-china-peace-plan-russia-invasion/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230316172428/https://www.politico.eu/article/viktor-orban-hungary-ukraine-china-peace-plan-russia-invasion/ |archive-date=16 March 2023 |access-date=14 March 2023 |publisher=Politico Europe}}

Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Hungary in May 2024 and met with Orbán.{{Cite web |date=2024-05-09 |title=Hungary and China sign strategic cooperation agreement during visit by Chinese President Xi |url=https://apnews.com/article/chinas-xi-welcomed-hungary-talks-orban-0719880a351a5ef0763ae6a623a7798b |access-date=2024-05-14 |website=Associated Press |language=en |archive-date=2024-05-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240510103958/https://apnews.com/article/chinas-xi-welcomed-hungary-talks-orban-0719880a351a5ef0763ae6a623a7798b |url-status=live }} During the visit, the two countries entered into a strategic partnership agreement as well as 18 other agreements and memoranda of understanding.

Hungary joined the Belt and Road Initiative in 2015. In the same year, it was the largest recipient of Chinese outbound direct investment with around $571 million.{{Cite news |last=Jennings |first=Ralph |date=22 February 2023 |title=China pitches belt and road to 'illiberal' Hungary as Beijing's links with Moscow sow suspicion in Europe |work=South China Morning Post |url=https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3211101/china-pitches-belt-and-road-illiberal-hungary-beijings-links-moscow-sow-suspicion-europe |access-date=14 March 2023 |archive-date=14 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314154018/https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3211101/china-pitches-belt-and-road-illiberal-hungary-beijings-links-moscow-sow-suspicion-europe |url-status=live }} As of at least 2024, Hungary is one of the strongest European supporters of the BRI.{{Cite news |last1=Vasovic |first1=Aleksander |last2=Sito-sucic |first2=Daria |date=5 May 2024 |title=China's Xi Jinping to Visit Serbia on Anniversary of 1999 NATO Bombing |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/chinas-xi-jinping-visit-serbia-anniversary-1999-nato-bombing-2024-05-07/ |access-date=7 May 2024 |work=Reuters}} Between 2022 and 2024, Hungary received nearly a quarter of Chinese foreign direct investment to Europe.{{Cite news |last=Dunai |first=Marton |last2=White |first2=Edward |last3=Irwin-Hunt |first3=Alex |date=17 November 2024 |title=Orbán turns to China to boost recession-hit economy |url=https://www.ft.com/content/ca5f5ce6-46ad-4a34-80b1-b0f7d4b17d58 |access-date=21 November 2024 |work=Financial Times}} Hungarian foreign minister Szijjártó stated in 2023 that Hungarian-Chinese trade was over $10 billion.

Hungary hosts the largest supply center of Huawei outside of China. In 2022, Chinese battery company CATL agreed to invest $7.5 billion to build a factory in Debrecen. Hungary also has several Chinese electric vehicle battery plants. In 2023, Chinese electric vehicle company BYD Auto chose Szeged as its first large factory in Europe. In March 2025, the European Commission opened a probe into whether the BYD Auto plant had received unfair state subsidies from China.{{Cite news |last=Foy |first=Henry |last2=Dunai |first2=Marton |last3=Bounds |first3=Andy |date=2025-03-20 |title=EU probes BYD plant in Hungary over unfair Chinese subsidies |url=https://www.ft.com/content/0ef28741-6194-4ee6-8f23-945415de7458 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250320050708/https://www.ft.com/content/0ef28741-6194-4ee6-8f23-945415de7458 |archive-date=March 20, 2025 |access-date=2025-03-21 |work=Financial Times}}

Hungary was the first EU member to approve the use of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by China's Sinopharm.{{Rp|page=169}}

• Foreign relations of China
• Foreign relations of Hungary

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Category:Bilateral relations of China

Category:Bilateral relations of Hungary