On 2024-07-08, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. This meeting came days after Orban held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on a potential Ukrainian peace deal, which had angered some European Union leaders.
The meeting between Orban and Xi took place at the Diaoyutai State Guest House, according to Chinese state media. China, which has close ties to Russia, has been promoting a six-point peace plan it issued with Brazil in May. Meanwhile, Orban has initiated a "peace mission" following Hungary's assumption of the EU's rotating presidency at the start of this month.
"China is a key power in creating the conditions for peace in the Russia-Ukraine war," Orban said on social media platform X, explaining the reason for his meeting with Xi just two months after the Chinese leader visited Budapest. Orban was quoted by the Hungarian state news agency MTI as telling Xi, "We greatly appreciate your peace initiative regarding the conflict in Hungary's neighbor."
Orban, who is a critic of Western military aid to Ukraine, has the warmest relations with both Xi and Putin among EU leaders. His trip to China comes ahead of a NATO summit that will address providing further support to Ukraine. It also follows the European Commission's decision last week to impose tariffs of up to 37.6% on imports of electric vehicles made in China.
Despite the tensions, Hungary has become an important trade and investment partner for China, in contrast with some other EU nations seeking to reduce their dependence on the world's second-largest economy.
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