BUDAPEST: Hungary is China’s foremost trading partner in central and eastern Europe and trade ties between the two countries are steadily intensifying, Duan Jielong, China’s ambassador to Hungary, said at a trade forum in Budapest.
China has invested over 5 billion dollars in the central and eastern European region, of which more than 3 billion dollars have been invested in Hungary, the ambassador told a press conference. Bilateral trade turnover is at an annual 10 billion dollars, he added. Answering a question on Hungary’s residency bond scheme, the ambassador said China’s government allows its citizens to settle in foreign countries as long as it is done with the purpose of carrying out legal activities. Most Chinese citizens choose to settle in Hungary for business or education purposes, he said.
For that matter, 5th China-CEE (Central and Eastern Europe) Summit was held in Riga, Latvia on the 5th of November. The objective of the summit is to identify and partner economical partnerships between China and CEE countries. Hungary’s prime minister and foreign minister held talks with leaders of Huawei, China’s second biggest investor in Hungary, in Riga on Saturday.
On the summit’s sidelines Orban and Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister, discussed the government’s digital programme and how Huawei can bring its global experience to bear with the technology and communications company’s future participation. Of primary interest is Huawei’s experience in building telecommunications networks as well as its operating and advisory services. Huawei has been operating in Hungary for the past ten years and employs 2,500 people. It draws on the services of almost 600 local suppliers, Havasi noted.
