U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has arrived in Beijing to prepare for talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, according to the global network. According to information previously disclosed by the US side, the US side will discuss with China regional issues such as the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea, the Middle East and Ukraine. Before meeting Blinken, Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with a distinguished guest from Europe.
According to the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjártó in Beijing. Wang Yi said that Hungary is a country with international influence, adheres to independence and self-determination, and has long pursued a friendly policy towards China. China-Hungary relations are built on the basis of mutual respect and mutual benefit, and under the strategic guidance of the leaders of the two countries, bilateral relations have developed with a good momentum. The Chinese side is full of confidence in the development cooperation between the two countries and is willing to maintain close communication with the Hungarian side to promote further bilateral relations.
Wang Yi pointed out that Hungary insists on being a force for peace in Europe under the turbulent international situation. China appreciates Hungary's determination to deepen cooperation with China despite interference and pressure. The fruitful results of China-Hungary cooperation prove that China is an opportunity rather than a challenge to Europe, and that Hungary will assume the rotating presidency of the European Union, and China hopes that Hungary will promote the EU to view China's development rationally and amicably, and strengthen China-EU strategic communication.
Szijjártó said that Hungary welcomes China to exert its influence as a major country and play a greater role in maintaining world peace and stability, and that it is particularly important to maintain the healthy development of China-Hungary and China-EU relations under the current situation. Hungary opposes "decoupling and breaking the chain", and always believes that it should seize China's development opportunities and regard China as a partner, Hungary welcomes China's increased investment in Hungary, and is willing to continue to deepen cooperation between the two countries and promote further relations between the two countries.
Hungary is a rare sober player in the European Union, always adhering to an independent policy, and unwilling to be at the mercy of the United States. Hungary pursues a friendly policy towards China, opening the way for Chinese companies to enter Europe, and when the EU introduces a bill to smear and contain China, Hungary often argues on the basis of reason, calling on EU member states to look at China's development rationally. Naturally, China has been sincere in its response to Hungary's goodwill.
Before the meeting with Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Szijjártó revealed that Hungary has become a major destination for Chinese companies to invest in Europe, and a number of Chinese companies are currently investing in Hungary to build factories, with a total value of about 15.2 billion euros and providing 25,000 jobs in Hungary. After talking with Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Szijjártó said on social media that Hungary had reached an agreement with China to include domestic railway reconstruction in the list of Belt and Road Initiative projects, and Szijjártó mentioned that Hungary is seeking financing from China to build an oil pipeline to Serbia.
As an Eastern European country, Hungary is quite concerned about the development of the situation between Russia and Ukraine, and during the meeting with Foreign Minister Wang Yi, he also mentioned relevant issues. After leaving China, Szijjártó said in Azerbaijan that the conflict in Ukraine was a complete defeat for the West. Inflation in the EU has risen from 2% to 27%. Hungary, on the other hand, has maintained an inflation rate of 4% due to its sound economic policies. Hungary, which is about to assume the rotating presidency of the European Union, would say such a thing, and the United States will definitely be unhappy.
In fact, the Hungarian foreign minister's visit to China, in addition to seeking China's help, is also paving the way for China's high-level visit to Europe. Earlier, according to media reports, the Chinese high-level will visit Hungary, Serbia and France in early May, and the date of the high-level visit of the Chinese side was also reported by the Serbian media. According to Hong Kong media reports, Blinken's visit to China may also pave the way for Biden's visit to China. It seems that high-level diplomacy will be the focus in the coming period.