Mayor of Hungarian capital wants better ties with Taiwan
Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony slams Hungarian government for failing to condemn China's human rights violations
Half of Hungarians take a critical view of China, giving Taiwan room to improve relations with the Central European country, the mayor of Budapest said Friday (Oct. 29).
Separate delegations from Taiwan have been visiting Lithuania, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia as those formerly communist nations seek to establish closer ties to Taipei amid threats of retaliation from China.
Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony slammed the positive attitude of Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government toward China, CNA reported. The Hungarian leader was the first in Europe to sign up for Beijing’s Road and Belt Initiative, has supported the opening of a Shanghai Fudan University campus despite protests, and has barred action against Chinese suppression of the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement.
Yet surveys show that about half of all Hungarians are critical of China, with an additional 25% undecided or hesitant, Karacsony said in an interview with CNA. The Orban government’s China-leaning policies are not popular with the public, as the prime minister has failed to mention Beijing’s unilateral actions and violations of human rights, the mayor said.
Karacsony expressed the hope for closer cooperation with Taiwan in fields ranging from technology and environmental protection to tourism and education.
Separate delegations from Taiwan have been visiting Lithuania, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia as those formerly communist nations seek to establish closer ties to Taipei amid threats of retaliation from China.
Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony slammed the positive attitude of Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government toward China, CNA reported. The Hungarian leader was the first in Europe to sign up for Beijing’s Road and Belt Initiative, has supported the opening of a Shanghai Fudan University campus despite protests, and has barred action against Chinese suppression of the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement.
Yet surveys show that about half of all Hungarians are critical of China, with an additional 25% undecided or hesitant, Karacsony said in an interview with CNA. The Orban government’s China-leaning policies are not popular with the public, as the prime minister has failed to mention Beijing’s unilateral actions and violations of human rights, the mayor said.
Karacsony expressed the hope for closer cooperation with Taiwan in fields ranging from technology and environmental protection to tourism and education.
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