China extends visa-free travel for Hungarians: what exactly does this mean?

China has extended visa-free entry for Hungarian citizens for another year, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó announced on Sunday. The decision applies to all types of travel, including studies, tourism and business visits. In return, the Hungarian government will also prolong its visa facilitation scheme for Chinese nationals.

Mutual easing of rules and fast-track visas for Chinese business travellers

China first lifted visa requirements for Hungarian citizens in spring 2024, and will now maintain this arrangement for an additional year. According to Szijjártó, relations between the two countries have gained “new momentum” since the Chinese president’s visit to Hungary last year.

The minister highlighted that Hungary will continue to issue visas within 48 hours to Chinese executives and businesspeople arriving for economic or commercial cooperation.

Szijjártó emphasised that “Hungary’s strategy is working”, adding that the country remains committed to connecting East and West rather than supporting the “division of the world into blocs”.

Unprecedented volume of Chinese goods entering Europe, routed through Budapest

News of the visa-free extension comes at a time when Hungary has become a more significant logistics hub than ever before for Chinese e-commerce parcels entering the European Union.

According to Hungary’s National Tax and Customs Administration (NAV), 165 million parcels arrived in Hungary from outside the EU during the first ten months of 2025, yet only 16% were destined for Hungarian addresses, Telex reports. Over 90% of the parcels arrive by air, most of them from China. The rest are forwarded primarily to Austria, Slovakia and countries in the Western Balkans.

Budapest Airport also set a new record in the first half of 2025, handling 200,000 tonnes of air cargo: a 50% increase compared to the previous year. This surge has been further driven by the rapid expansion of platforms such as Shein and Temu.

• Worrisome: More than two-thirds of Temu and Shein products violate safety standards – Update: Temu responds

Potential EU restrictions: the era of duty-free Chinese parcels may be ending

EU member states have become increasingly dissatisfied with the flood of cheap, often undervalued packages from China. The number of consignments declared duty-free under the EUR 150 threshold rose to 4.6 billion in 2024, with 91% originating from China.

The EU’s Economic and Financial Affairs Council has now reached an agreement on abolishing the duty-free allowance. Details are still being worked out, but a transitional system — which would end duty-free entry — could enter into force as early as 2025.

Budapest Airport believes the measure would not significantly affect its operations, as e-commerce remains a robust and rapidly expanding sector.

Direct flights from Budapest to seven Chinese cities

Passenger traffic between the two countries is also growing. Budapest currently has direct connections to seven Chinese cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Ningbo, Xi’an, Chongqing and Guangzhou. Several airlines operate multiple flights per week, with some routes offering daily services.