Politics Hungarian Prime Minister Orban makes surprise visit to China

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban has unexpectedly arrived in China for a visit. This was reported by Chinese state media this morning (local time). "Peace mission 3.0 #Beijing", Orban wrote on the social network X after his arrival in Beijing. He also posted a photo there showing him being greeted by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Hua Chunying at the airport.

According to China's official news agency Xinhua, Orban met state and party leader Xi Jinping for talks. The topics discussed were issues of mutual interest. The Russian war of aggression in Ukraine is likely to have been at the top of the agenda. Orban wrote in another post on X that China was a "key power" in creating conditions for peace in the war. That is why he met Xi.

Previous visit to Russia

Orban had only traveled to Moscow on Friday for a controversial visit, where he was received by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Orban had staged the meeting with Putin, whose country has been waging a war of aggression against Ukraine for more than two years, as a "peace mission". The trip was also met with criticism because Hungary had just taken over the six-monthly rotating presidency of the EU Council. Orban had previously visited Ukraine.

Xi also visited Hungary on a trip to Europe in May. Budapest and Beijing have had good relations for some time. In October, Orban was one of the few European representatives and the only EU head of government to take part in China's forum on the "New Silk Road". Hungary is also part of the Chinese investment project with which the People's Republic is implementing infrastructure projects worldwide and thus expanding its influence.