Xi Jinping Wraps Up his European Tour in Hungary
The Chinese President had previously visited Paris and Belgrade
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Europe ended in Hungary with a meeting with Prime Minister Viktor Orban. This is Xi Jinping’s first trip to the Old Continent, where he also traveled to France, meeting with President Emmanuel Macron, and with President Aleksandar Vucic in Serbia.
China and Hungary on Thursday decided to upgrade bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership on the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. “China-Hungary relations are currently experiencing the best period in history, and their comprehensive strategic partnership has kept development at a high level. Through deepening mutual political trust and fruitful cooperation in various fields, the two countries have established a model for building a new type of international relations,” Xi Jinping explained, as reported by Xinhua news agency. Xi Jinping also expressed hope that Hungary will seize the opportunity to assume the presidency of the European Union (in the second half of 2024) to promote the sustainable and solid development of China-EU relations.
Hungary is part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the New Silk Road, which will enable the development and implementation of cooperation in various sectors, such as infrastructure, clean energy, and artificial intelligence, as well as the completion of the Hungary-Serbia railroad.
Serbia was the second stop on Xi Jinping’s trip, who traveled to Belgrade after visiting Paris, where he met with Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, signaling a desire to firmly touch the two souls of Europe, the “Atlantic” one, and the two countries most open to the East.
Xi Jinping and Serbian President Vucic signed a joint statement on building the China-Serbia community, strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership established in 2016. Serbia is the first European country to build such a community with China. Bilateral relations between the two countries are stronger than ever and are based on the pursuit of development, mutually beneficial cooperation, and mutual success. Also announced on the occasion was the China-Serbia Free Trade Agreement, which will enter into force on July 1.
“The sky is the limit,” Vucic said, referring to relations and exchanges between the two countries. Trade volume has reached 4.35 billion dollars, and since 2022 China has become the main source of direct investment for Serbia. The Belt and Road Initiative also includes projects such as the steel mill in Smederevo and the aforementioned high-speed railroad between Belgrade and Budapest.
