Peter Szijjártó, Hungary's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, is currently in Beijing.
From there, he announced new flight routes and that a Hungarian company will begin the production of medical diagnostic equipment in China this year. The Hungarian foreign minister held discussions with the Chinese Minister of Commerce and is also expected to meet with Chinese business leaders to report on further Chinese investments.
Another air route between Hungary and China is set to launch, with direct flights to Shenzhen available from Budapest starting in June, operating twice a week announced Peter Szijjártó on Wednesday from Beijing on his
Facebook page.
This marks the seventh major Chinese city to establish a direct air connection with the Hungarian capital, increasing to a total of 19 flights per week heading in the direction of China. It was previously announced that Xi'an will be directly accessible from Budapest this summer, following a similar announcement regarding Guangzhou.
During discussions in the Chinese capital with Wang Wentao, the Chinese Minister of Commerce, Szijjártó also reported on an agreement whereby
the Chinese government supports the wide-ranging market entry of Hungarian companies in the country.
For instance, a Hungarian company will start manufacturing medical diagnostic tools in China in the second half of the year. Szijjártó highlighted the significant presence of the Hungarian pharmaceutical industry in China, noting that within two years, Richter has increased its local revenue by more than 20%. Additionally, China serves as an important market for Hungarian food industry exports, which provides opportunities for further development of the Hungarian food industry.
Moreover, Szijjártó announced that an agreement was reached to commence talks on the regionalization agreement, meaning that in the event of an outbreak of avian influenza or swine fever, an import ban would apply only to the affected region, allowing for uninterrupted export of poultry and pork products from other parts of the country to China.
Peter Szijjártó's visit will continue with meetings with Chinese business leaders in Beijing, and further news on Hungarian investments in the country is expected.