Chinese President Xi Jinping was ceremoniously received in the Hungarian capital on Thursday ahead of a day of talks with Hungarian officials, ABC News reports.
Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok received Xi in the lavish courtyard of Buda Castle in Budapest, where the two leaders walked on a red carpet alongside a ceremonial guard of honour after listening to the Chinese and Hungarian national anthems.
The ceremony was attended by numerous Chinese and Hungarian officials, including Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Hungary’s long-time populist leader who has sought to deepen ties with Beijing.
Xi arrived in Hungary late Wednesday as part of a European tour that also took him to Serbia and France. Later in the day, he will hold talks with Orbán and other officials on potential Chinese investment in Hungary in infrastructure, energy and electric vehicle production.
China has invested billions in Hungary and sees the EU member as an important bridgehead in the 27-member trading bloc. In December, Hungary announced that one of the world’s largest electric car makers, China’s BYD, would open its first European electric car plant in the south of the country – a development that could undermine the competitiveness of the continent’s car industry.
Hungary is also hosting several Chinese EV battery factories and hopes to become a global centre for lithium-ion batteries, while it is also pursuing a railway project that will connect the country to the Chinese-controlled port of Piraeus in Greece as an entry point for Chinese goods into central and eastern Europe.
Both governments are carefully hiding the contents of the potential deals until they are officially announced. However, according to unconfirmed media reports, China may announce additional investments in the production of electric cars and the development of Hungary’s railway network.
Speaking at a government press conference on Thursday, Orbán’s chief of staff Gergely Gulyás said Xi and Orbán would announce specific agreements later on Thursday. Earlier, Hungary’s foreign minister said at least 16 agreements would be signed during Xi’s visit.
Hundreds of people gathered outside Buda Fortress in Budapest, waving Chinese and Hungarian flags, hoping to see Xi’s motorcade. Among those present were many Chinese nationals wearing red baseball caps, claiming to be volunteers from the Chinese embassy.
