Szijjarto discusses economic ties with China, Mongolia officials

Budapest, November 6 (MTI) – Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto on Friday met his Mongolian counterpart and China’s deputy foreign minister in Luxembourg to discuss ongoing and future economic cooperation, the foreign ministry told MTI.

The ministry said in a statement that Hungary continues to play a leading role in the cooperation under the framework of the China-Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) and is still considered a key regional hub for Chinese investments.

Talks on the revamp of the Budapest-Belgrade rail line have entered a new phase, with financing talks now at the top of the agenda, the ministry said.

Hungarian food exports to China have multiplied sixfold over the course of the year, amounting to nearly 30 million US dollars by the end of August, the statement said, adding that Hungary has applied for further food export permits from China.

Szijjarto and Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Wang Chao welcomed reports that half a year after the relaunch of direct flights between Budapest and Beijing, the number of Chinese tourists in Hungary is up by 50 percent.

Szijjarto also met his Mongolian counterpart, Lundeg Purevsuren, and reassured him that Hungary supports the strengthening of EU-Mongolia ties. Hungarian companies are successful in the fields of water management, construction and agriculture in Mongolia and a Hungarian company is involved in the printing of Mongolian biometric passports, the foreign ministry said.

Photo: MTI

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters