‘Starting this summer, Budapest will offer direct flights to Xi’an, which will thus become the sixth Chinese city accessible from the Hungarian capital,’ Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó announced in Beijing on Tuesday. The minister also emphasized the crucial role of air transport in fostering cooperation between the two countries. ‘I think this is good news for all of us, as direct air links play an important role in Sino–Hungarian economic and trade cooperation,’ he added.
With a population of around 13 million, Xi’an stands as the capital and largest city of Shaanxi province. Situated approximately 900 kilometres southwest of Beijing, it serves as a pivotal industrial and financial hub.
Szijjártó also announced that after Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, and Ningbo, Guangzhou will now have direct access from Budapest. This follows the recent announcement of China Southern Airlines launching a service between Budapest and Guangzhou in June. This will increase the number of weekly flights between the two countries to seventeen.
‘This is the most flights a Central European country can offer,’
he noted.
Guangzhou, a metropolis with a population of around 15 million, serves as the capital of Guangdong province, famously known as the factory capital of the eastern world. It hosts headquarters and large factories of companies such as BYD, the world’s largest electric car manufacturer, Huawei, one of the world’s largest IT companies, as well as ZTE, Sunwoda, and Eve Energy, all of which have a presence in Hungary as well.
During his visit, the minister also highlighted that Chinese companies are presently investing 6 trillion forints in Hungary. This investment is expected to generate around 25 thousand new jobs and introduce the most advanced technology to the country.
Szijjártó stressed that these investments are primarily linked to the modern automotive industry, a sector in which Chinese companies have attained absolute market leadership worldwide. He expressed gratitude that
these companies have chosen Hungary as their first European destination.
FM Szijjártó also welcomed the fact that the value of bilateral trade turnover exceeded ten billion dollars last year, and it is anticipated to surpass this figure again this year. The minister highlighted that not only are Chinese companies increasingly investing in Hungary, but Hungarian companies are also finding opportunities in China. He cited an example: MVM’s subsidiary, which manufactures cooling systems for power plants, achieved its best results ever in the country last year. It secured tens of millions of dollars in investments, and Hungarian cooling technology will be utilized in several power plants currently under construction.
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