China

The EU cannot keep up with China and the US, says Minister Nagy in Geneva

NAtional Economy Minister Márton Nagy Hungary

National Economy Minister Marton Nagy addressed an event organised by the World Economic Forum (WEF), entitled High-Level Dialogue on Europe in the Age of Intelligent Economics, in Geneva late Monday, his ministry said.

In his speech, Nagy said a new economic order was taking shape in the world, and Europe needed to preserve its independence. To achieve that, he said Europe needed to boost its competitiveness, step up its innovative performance, and accelerate the green transition and the application of artificial intelligence.

While Asian economies, especially China and the United States, quickly adapt to new challenges and support their economies with all means, he said, noting Americans’ Inflation Reduction Act, the European Union has fallen behind in new branches of industry and has been slow to react to latest trends. He added that joint action was necessary as the EU’s competitiveness deteriorated unprecedentedly.

Not only has the EU failed to take steps to address the matter, but some of its measures have contributed to the formation of blocs and could pave the way for an “economic cold war,” he said, pointing to the EU decision to levy punitive tariffs on EVs manufactured in China. He added that five member states—Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Malta—had voted against the measure, while just ten had supported it.

He warned that punitive tariffs would be a “calamity” for the European automotive industry, especially vehicle manufacturing in Germany, and could result in retaliatory measures. He urged caution on the matter and said negotiations needed to continue to reach a mutually beneficial agreement.

Nagy said Hungary seeks cooperation based on mutual respect with all sides and makes its own decisions about economic partners. That principle is embodied in the policy of economic neutrality, which establishes the conditions for accelerated economic growth.

He said policy extended to neutrality in financing, investments, markets, energy, and technology. As a small, open economy, Hungary is committed to connectivity and wants to strengthen further its role as a “meeting point” for capital and technology from the East and the West, he added.

He said that if EU member states want to boost their competitiveness, they need to be prepared to temporarily run up higher budget deficits. Those bigger fiscal gaps wouldn’t result in imbalances, as the goal was to boost economic growth and strengthen competitiveness.

As we wrote yesterday, Hungary’s retail sales growth is modest, and the trade surplus is decreasing, but the ministry still celebrates; details are HERE.

October 8, 2024

Historian: The Hungarian people won’t learn Chinese, just like they didn’t learn Russian – Hungary belongs to Europe

PM Orbán Xi Jinping in Beijing chinese president chinese ambassador szijjártó china hungarian

Even if Hungary were to leave the European Union or NATO in the coming years, the Hungarian people’s European identity would remain intact because its roots go far deeper than any political decision, historian Ignác Romsics stated on Magyar Hang’s program Kompország.

Romsics explained in Kompország that while a political decision could be made to withdraw from Western organisations, such a move would undoubtedly trigger alarm bells in people’s minds. The decision to join NATO and the European Union was legitimised through a referendum. According to Romsics, if Hungary were to consider turning its back on these institutions, the public would have to be consulted again.

“I am convinced that in such a scenario, the majority of Hungarians would choose Western and Central Europe over China and Russia, as that is where we have always belonged in spirit,”

he added.

He further noted that Hungary has always been a part of Europe, even during the 150 years of Ottoman rule and throughout the Kádár era. Despite compulsory Russian language education, people disliked it; they would have preferred to learn English or German. Hungarian youth did not gravitate toward Soviet films, but rather American ones. They wore jeans, drank Coca-Cola, and their behaviour reflected a Western orientation, not a Russian one.

Romsics also expressed doubt that the Hungarian people would embrace learning Chinese, despite the government’s growing ties with Beijing. While economic cooperation with China is possible, it poses challenges. Currently, over 70% of Hungary’s export-import activity is with the West. In contrast, only 1.3% of Hungary’s exports go to China, and 7% of imports come from there. In fact, Hungary’s entire trade with Asia accounts for less than 20% of its total foreign trade, he pointed out.

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October 6, 2024

Orbán: Chinese electric car tariffs a blow to European economy

The European Commission is set to impose tariffs on Chinese electric cars, a huge blow for the European economy and for the automotive industry in Germany, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on “X” (formerly Twitter), on Saturday.

“Germany and European industry can no longer convince the Commission to be reasonable. But then, who can?” Orbán posted.

The @EU_Commission is set to impose tariffs on Chinese EVs – a huge blow for the European economy and for the automotive industry in #Germany. Germany and European industry can no longer convince the Commission to be reasonable. But then, who can?

— Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) October 5, 2024

The European Commission said on Friday that its proposal to impose definitive countervailing duties on imports of battery electric cars from China had obtained the necessary support from EU member states for the adoption of tariffs.

The EC also said that the EU and China would continue to “work hard to explore an alternative solution that would have to be fully WTO-compatible”.

Five member states, including Hungary and Germany, voted against the proposal, while twelve, among them Spain and Sweden, abstained.

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October 6, 2024

A Chinese influence network active in Hungary: The power of the United Front

chinese communist party ccp united front

Last November, a high-ranking Chinese delegation arrived at a seemingly unremarkable building on Kőbányai Street in Budapest. They were warmly welcomed by the President of the Hungarian Chinese Women’s Federation, whose family owns the shopping centre where the event was held. The women’s federation entertained the delegation with a cultural program, singing patriotic songs and performing traditional dances. However, this visit was not just about commerce or culture.

The United Front: expanding China’s global influence

According to Direkt36, which took part in an international investigative journalism project, the delegation belonged to a significant branch of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) known as the United Front. The United Front plays a crucial role in expanding China’s global influence, especially through monitoring and controlling key members of the overseas Chinese diaspora. In several Western countries, authorities have uncovered secret operations linked to this organisation, which involved illegal information gathering and attempts to influence local politics. In the United States, a former official from New York was recently charged for working on behalf of China, while the Czech intelligence agency has reported similar covert operations linked to the Chinese organisation.

While Hungary has increasingly tightened its ties with China, there is no indication that Hungarian authorities have taken steps against the United Front’s activities.

However, the recent investigation by Direkt36, among others, revealed that the United Front had established significant operations in Hungary.

For instance, during the heated debate over the planned Fudan University campus in Budapest, Chinese organisations linked to the United Front reportedly attempted to influence local officials in favour of China’s interests.

Individuals and organisations connected to the United Front in Hungary

As part of this investigation, a leaked document from an online hacker forum listed over 2000 individuals allegedly connected to the United Front and leading Chinese associations abroad. Among these were 56 people and 26 organisations in Hungary, involved in business, politics, and cultural activities. Some notable figures included a businessman associated with the Skála department stores, as well as journalists and editors of Chinese-language newspapers in Hungary.

The United Front’s roots go back to the early 20th century when it was a key part of Mao Zedong’s strategy during China’s revolutionary struggles. Mao famously called the organisation a “magic weapon” for the Communist Party, primarily tasked with combating internal opposition. After decades of inactivity, the organisation was revived under China’s current president, Xi Jinping, who has personal ties to the United Front through his father, a prominent figure in the group. Xi has significantly expanded the United Front, adding 40,000 new members and giving it more resources and power, making it a key player in China’s intelligence and influence operations globally.

The organisation’s extended influence

In addition to controlling Chinese communities abroad, the United Front has extended its influence over foreign Chinese-language media. The group has been accused of turning these outlets into tools for spreading CCP propaganda, as evidenced by a forum where Chinese journalists were encouraged to publish pro-China content. Several media representatives from Hungary were among the participants in such forums.

The United Front has also faced accusations of operating secret police stations abroad, disguised as administrative centres. These offices allegedly monitor Chinese nationals and pressure them to return to China under various pretences. The Safeguard Defenders, a human rights organisation, identified two such stations in Budapest. Although Hungarian authorities deny their existence, an opposition politician found evidence suggesting these stations were indeed operational.

Furthermore, the United Front is deeply involved in fostering loyalty to China among overseas Chinese youth. It organises cultural exchanges and leadership programs aimed at strengthening national identity and allegiance to China. One prominent Hungarian-Chinese businessman, who signed a traditional Chinese medicine trade agreement with Beijing, is also mentioned as a key figure in one of the United Front’s youth initiatives.

Despite mounting international evidence about the United Front’s covert operations, including reports of it acting as an intelligence arm of the CCP, there has been no formal response from the Hungarian government or the Chinese embassy in Budapest. For now, the activities of the United Front in Hungary remain largely unchecked, as the country continues to cultivate a closer relationship with China, welcoming its investments and influence.

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October 3, 2024

Hungary can help restart dialogue among world powers, says Minister Szijjártó in Berlin

Hungary news – Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said in Berlin on Tuesday that Hungary and its “honest politics” can help reopen communication among world powers and build an era of connectivity, preventing the re-emergence of geopolitical blocs.

Hungarians “lost forty years of our lives” after the country found itself “on the wrong side” of the previous world order, Szijjártó said in a panel discussion at the Berlin Global Dialogue forum, according to a ministry statement, adding that Hungary was “extremely concerned” by recent global developments.

He said Hungary’s main goal now is to contribute to international efforts to prevent the re-emergence of blocs.

He said the Hungarian government’s interests lay in connectivity, and expressed regret that certain world powers today were not even willing to talk to each other.

Szijjártó said

smaller countries could help the major powers build bridges among themselves.

He warned of the risks posed by the absence of talks between the United States and Russia, as well as of a potential US-China trade war.

The minister underlined the importance of honesty, saying his European Union counterparts often assured him of their support but “cannot afford” to express it publicly because of the domestic political situation in their countries.

“I think that a major luxury we have in Hungary is political stability, and based on that political stability, the luxury of honesty; that we do what we say and we say what we think,” he added.

“And if we continue like this, I … believe that we can be of assistance to the big countries in restarting communication with each other and building the era of connectivity,” Szijjártó said.

He underscored Hungary’s success in becoming a key meeting point for Eastern and Western businesses. He noted that Hungary is home to manufacturing bases of all three big premium German car makers, while five of the world’s ten biggest Eastern battery makers are present in the country.

Szijjártó said Hungary had successfully established a “Berlin-Beijing-Seoul trade and economic cooperation area centred in Hungary”.

He said this made it hard to understand why Germany’s foreign minister favoured “decoupling and de-risking” the EU economy from China when German businesses relied heavily on Eastern suppliers and often urged Hungary to secure such investments.

Szijjártó said Hungary has added 1 million jobs since 2010, has the lowest tax rates in Europe and has broken investment records each year since 2014.

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October 1, 2024

Former PM Gyurcsány accuses PM, goverment of ‘betrayal’

The leader of the opposition Democratic Coalition (DK), Ferenc Gyurcsány, has accused the prime minister and his government of committing a “historical, political and moral betrayal” of Hungary and its people in recent years.

At a press conference in Budapest on Tuesday, former PM Gyurcsány said Viktor Orbán had sided with China, having argued “for years” for a response to a rising China. Orbán’s stated neutrality in the struggle between the West and China was in fact pro-China and a “historical betrayal”, given Hungary traditionally belonged to “a very clear circle of civilisations”.

“Europe and the West have extremely strong positions in this struggle,” Gyurcsány said. Based on 2023 figures, the US and Europe accounted for 44 percent of the world economy, while China only accounted for 19 percent; around half of global military spending was linked to NATO, while only 14 percent came from China, he added.

The DK leader spoke of a “historic betrayal” when Orbán “wants to put Hungary on China’s side”. “This is not good for Hungary, it is a historical curse for Hungary.”

Meanwhile, Gyurcsány called Orbán’s change of “Russian policy” in 2009 “incomprehensible”, having “turned from being one of Hungary’s most anti-Russian politicians to one of Hungary’s most pro-Russian politicians after fifteen minutes of negotiations with Putin.” “In those fifteen minutes, the Hungarian prime minister was blackmailed by Putin” with the stakes either tied up with state security or financial considerations, Gyurcsány said.

He added that recent comments by Balázs Orbán, the prime minister’s political director, suggesting that Hungary would “surrender to Russia” was “not something he let slip” but “a confession of the policy represented by Viktor Orbán”. Related article: Official of Orbán cabinet says they would NOT have defended Hungary in case of a Russian invasion

October 1, 2024

BYD to cooperate with Hungarian education institutions

byd chinese carmaker educational institution

Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD aims to establish cooperation with education institutions in Szeged (SE Hungary), where it is building its first plant in Europe, the company’s Hungarian PR agent said on Friday.

A delegation in charge of training and HR at BYD recently visited Hungary and met with Culture and Innovation Minister Balázs Hankó and Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency (HIPA) head István Joó. The delegation also met with the heads of higher education and vocational training institutions in Szeged.

Jerry Xun, the company’s deputy CEO for HR, said he expected Hungarian expertise and innovative approaches to play an “outstanding” role in its activities in Hungary. The Chinese carmaker’s base in Szeged will turn out as many as 300,000 vehicles a year.

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BYD to have its first European electric car plant in Hungary

September 28, 2024

Hungary-China cooperation not a danger, Europe should learn from China, says House Speaker Kövér

Broadening relations and cooperation with China does not present a danger but an opportunity that could serve the development of both countries, László Kövér, the speaker of parliament, said at a reception in Budapest on Thursday, marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Hungary.

Hungary has an interest in being a link between East and West as Hungary would benefit from such cooperation in the wider world, but Hungary pays a heavy price whenever strife flares up between East and West as the country suffers in the crossfire geographically and politically, Kover said.

Its role as a bridgehead is strengthened by Hungary’s Eastern opening established in 2010 and its decision to join Belt and Road in 2013, the first European country to do so, he added.

Kövér said Hungary and China had profitably tapped opportunities for cooperation in the past 75 years, noting that China has become Hungary’s biggest trading partner outside Europe.

Chinese investments in the automotive industry, the electronics industry and the financial sector, he added, had contributed to Hungary’s economic growth while creating jobs.

House Speaker believes China needed for balance of power

He also noted cooperation between higher education and cultural institutions and a “mutual boom in tourism”.

Europe, he insisted, could learn much from China, such as “the art of politics based on endurance and patience”. Europe, he added, could thereby take up its “rightful role in shaping the future of the world and responding to global challenges”.

Without China, a balance of power in favour of peace would not be established globally in the 21st century. But cooperation and peace and security may only be established in the spirit of mutual respect, he said, adding that Hungarian-Chinese ties were based accordingly.

At the reception, Chinese Ambassador Tao Gong gave a welcome speech, praising relations between the two countries.

Chinese ambassador china — Tao Gong. Photo: MTI

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2nd biggest Hungarian bank cooperates with Bank of China, inflation falls in Hungary – read more HERE
Hungary rejects EU’s punitive tariffs on Chinese EVs

September 27, 2024

2nd biggest Hungarian bank cooperates with Bank of China, inflation falls in Hungary

MBH Bank, Hungary’s second-biggest commercial lender, and Bank of China Limited Hungary Branch have signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation, MBH said on Thursday.

With the MoU, the sides aim to establish stable, long-term business ties that are mutually beneficial, MBH said. The MoU extends to bolstering interbank activity, especially with regard to bilateral financing constructions, offering a broader range of financial services to their client bases, and looking for areas in which synergies could result in new business opportunities.

Bank of China Limited Hungary Branch was established in 2014. The lender had total assets of over HUF 2,254bn at the end of 2023.

NBH sees inflation slowing further in September

August’s 3.4pc CPI was in line with the National Bank of Hungary’s expectations, and the central bank sees inflation falling to 3.1pc in September, András Balatoni, an NBH director, said on Thursday. Presenting the NBH’s fresh quarterly Inflation Report, Balatoni said CPI would rise moderately for the rest of the year, edging over 4.0pc in December. The NBH puts 2024 average annual inflation at 3.5pc-3.9pc in the fresh report, compared to 3.0pc-4.5pc in the one published in June.

Balatoni said disinflation would continue in the first quarter of 2025, supported by a lower external cost environment and lower retrospective repricing. The effect of retrospective pricing of services will wind down, while core inflation could start to fall in the second half of the year, bringing CPI back to the central bank’s 3.0pc +/-1pp tolerance band in a sustainable manner, he added.

The NBH estimates that the financial transactions duty will lift average annual inflation by 0.1pp in 2024 and 0.2pp-0.3pp in 2025, he said. The NBH knocked down its forecast for 2024 GDP growth to 1.0pc-1.8pc from 2.0pc-3.0pc, as low order stock in the industrial sector and drought in the farming sector weigh. On the consumption side, household consumption and net exports are seen supporting growth, while investments weigh.

The re-launch of earlier postponed investments and improved external demand could result in more balanced growth in 2025, lifting GDP growth to 2.7-3.7pc. GDP growth could reach 3.5-4.5pc in 2026.

Balatoni noted that employment was at a historic high, but labour market tightness was easing as businesses tapped unused capacity and drew on labour market reserves. The NBH reduced its forecast for this year’s general government deficit to 3.5pc-4.5pc of GDP, from 4.5pc-5.0pc, on spending cuts announced in the summer. It sees a 0.3pp decline in the year-end state debt level.

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September 26, 2024

Hungary for maintaining current EU cohesion policy, against EU’s punitive China tariffs

Keeping the current balance of EU cohesion policy between social and regional cohesion funding is in Hungary’s interest, Tibor Navracsics, the minister of public administration and regional development, told a roundtable on the future of the European Union, noting big regional differences in Hungary, with the development of many of its regions below the EU average.National economy minister Márton Nagy slammed the EU for seeking to slap punitive tariffs on Chinese electric cars.

Hungary’s interest to maintain current EU cohesion policy, says Navracsics

“So we want to maintain regional cohesion funding,” he said, adding that Nordic countries wanted funding to go towards strengthening social cohesion, largely because of integration problems caused by migration.

Cohesion policy is reviewed every seven years, he noted, mostly based on a EU cohesion report published every three years, adding that debates over the future of cohesion policy take place during the Hungarian EU presidency.

Navracsics said cohesion policy could help to improve the EU’s economic competitiveness, arguing that if regions catching up needed less funding by and by, more money would be on tap to boost competitiveness.

Current cohesion funding is distributed according to each region’s level of economic development, he said, adding that it was in Hungary’s interest to maintain this.

Certain member states want to include other indicators, such as the level of youth unemployment, he said, adding that this was not a problem that Hungary had and so it would miss out on such funding.

No one finds money for enlargement

Meanwhile, regarding EU enlargement, Navracsics said a political decision on the Western Balkans, Ukraine and Moldova had been made, “but no one can say for now where the funding for this will come from”.

János Bóka, the European affairs minister, said the Hungarian presidency was “special” as the European Council was the only major EU institution not in the midst of a transition. Among its tasks is to ensure a smooth institutional transition, he added. Another was to highlight the political priorities for the future, he said.

Hungary, he noted, was at the start of its presidency and substantive work had begun after the summer political lull.

Punitive tarrifs against China may be counterproductive

Márton Nagy, the national economy minister, said the EU had been uncompetitive before the Covid epidemic and energy crisis, which had merely exacerbated its laggardness. For now, however, “no one knows where the money will come from to implement the turnaround in competitiveness,” he said.

The US and China devote budget funds towards improving competitiveness while the EU limits the budget deficit to 3 percent of the GDP. But joint borrowing, he added, was unfeasible as it would increase the deficit of the EU as a whole while raising the issue of who would get to distribute the jointly borrowed money. Instead, the national budgets should finance the transition, he said.

Nagy also slammed the EU for seeking to slap punitive tariffs on Chinese electric cars, arguing that China may well respond by banning goods made in the EU. “It isn’t possible to negotiate effectively if we slap our negotiator before the negotiation,” he added.

He also bemoaned the fact that neither EU regulations nor funding was available for the development of electric cars.

Meanwhile, he said the EU integration of the Western Balkans would strengthen EU competitiveness as its economies were growing 2-3 times as fast as that of EU member states.

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September 26, 2024

Chinese people smugglers arrested in Hungary

Two Chinese men were charged with trying to smuggle three Chinese migrants from Croatia to Austria via Hungary, the Zala County prosecutor’s office said on Tuesday.

The men, 35 and 49, were living in Hungary when they decided to rent and borrow cars to smuggle migrants across the borders. At the instruction of an as-yet unidentified client, they traveled to Zagreb and drove three migrants to the border.

They were stopped and arrested shortly after crossing from Croatia to Hungary, the prosecutor’s office said.

Hungary rejects EU’s punitive tariffs on Chinese EVs

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said in New York late Monday that Hungary opposes the European Union’s punitive tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.

Earlier, Szijjártó met with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, to discuss the implementation of agreements signed in May, during a visit to Hungary by Chinese President Xi Jinping, the development of ties between Europe and China, and political steps on the global stage in the interest of peace, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said.

“Hungary is a good example of the big economic benefits a civilised East-West cooperation can bring,” Szijjártó said, pointing to business partnerships between Western European and Chinese automotive industry companies to advance electromobility.

He said that the EU’s competitiveness could improve “dramatically” if it cooperated with China instead of “creating confrontation.”

In that context, levying punitive tariffs on Chinese EVs is “a very bad idea,” he said, adding that European automotive industry companies are “protesting the measure tooth and nail.”

“Hungary is against the tariffs and will vote against them. And we hope that in the coming years, a civilised, sensible economic cooperation based on mutual respect can be established with China,” he said.

Hungary “greatly appreciates” the Chinese-Brazilian peace initiative, Szijjártó said. He added that Hungary would continue cooperating closely with China to promote global pro-peace efforts.

Chinese ambassador in Budapest: China ready to cooperate further with Hungary

China is ready to cooperate further with Hungary in the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Hungarian government’s Eastern Opening policy, Gong Tao, the Chinese ambassador to Hungary, said at a conference in Budapest on Friday.

75th anniversary of Hungary-China diplomatic relations marked

The ambassador said China wanted to enhance its cooperation with Hungary and launch projects in areas such as artificial intelligence and the green transition, addressing the event organised to mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Hungary.

Gong Tao said both sides had insisted on honesty, friendship and a “win-win style” cooperation, and that had established the foundation for their relations. Although China and Hungary are far apart from each other geographically, they have always respected and supported the development path that each has chosen, while taking into account each other’s fundamental interests as well as main concerns, he added.

Chinese carmaking plant Xi Jinping — Xi Jinping. Photo: depositphotos.com

He underscored that the Hungarian government had stood by the One China principle and opposed any separatist behaviour that would undermine China’s national unity. He said that China also respected the domestic and foreign policy that Hungary had chosen, suited to its own needs, and supported the country’s efforts to maintain national stability and advance economic development.

Chinese ambassador: China is the biggest foreign investor in Hungary

He said the two countries would continue to deepen their cooperation in trade, investment and infrastructure, as well as participate together in building up the Belt and Road Initiative. He noted that China had been the biggest foreign investor in Hungary in 2023, and that Chinese investments in the country had created more than 10,000 jobs and given the economy a big boost.

With bilateral trade reaching more than USD 13bn, China is Hungary’s biggest trading partner outside of the European Union, he said. Cargo flights and investments have made Hungary a logistics hub between China and Europe, he added.

Gong Tao said connections between Chinese and Hungarian people also provided a strong foundation for bilateral ties, adding that Hungarian was a subject at twelve universities in China, while Hungary was home to six Confucius Institutes and one dual Chinese-Hungarian school.

He said a visit to Hungary by Chinese President Xi Jinping in May had marked the start of a new era in bilateral ties and elevated Hungary and China’s broad strategic partnership to the next level. That new partnership further strengthens the harmonisation of development strategies, enhances pragmatic cooperation and intensifies cultural and people-to people exchanges, he added.

Committed to world peace and justice

Gong Tao acknowledged headwinds faced by globalisation amid strengthening protectionism in the global economy and said those challenges could be met with closed confrontation or open cooperation, which proved a test for the wisdom of politicians. He added that Prime Minister Viktor Orban had voiced his opposition to confrontation that leads to the severing of ties and said Hungary aimed to become a business and technology meeting point for the East and the West.

He said Hungary was a communication bridge between the Eastern and Western civilisations. China wants Hungary to continue to take advantage of opportunities to cooperate in the areas of education, culture, tourism, sport and the media, he added.

He said China and Hungary were both committed to world peace and to justice, and were opposed to intervention in the internal affairs of other countries as well as unilateral sanctions.

János Latorcai, the deputy speaker of the Hungarian parliament, said President Xi’s visit in May had opened a new chapter in bilateral ties. He added that the Hungarian government’s Eastern Opening policy, announced in 2010, had produced countless benefits.

Latorcai said Hungary remained committed to being a bridge between East and West, even in today’s era of blocs.

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September 20, 2024

International Teqball Research Centre has opened in Beijing

The centre, which aims to improve, develop and promote the sport, was jointly established by the International Teqball Federation (FITEQ), the Beijing Teqball Association (BTA), the Capital University of Physical Education (CUPES) and the Beijing Olympic Development Association (BODA).

In the sport, invented in Hungary, Teqball players pass a football across a gently curved surface that resembles a reinforced ping-pong table, testing concentration, skills and stamina. Contact with the other player or the board is not allowed, minimising risk of injury.

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September 20, 2024

Orbán family profits from Budapest-Belgrade railway renovation through quarry contracts

gánt dolomite quarry budapest-belgrade railway

The Budapest-Belgrade railway renovation, one of the largest infrastructure projects in Hungary’s history, has involved key business figures close to the government. Beyond the known participation of Lőrinc Mészáros’ companies, internal documents reveal that Viktor Orbán’s direct family members have also profited from the massive state-funded development, primarily through the supply of construction materials.

Ballast transported from a quarry owned by Orbán’s family

According to reports from 444.hu, over 200,000 tons of railway ballast were transported from a quarry in Gánt, owned by Orbán’s family, between 2022 and 2023. This delivery was confirmed by two separate transportation companies, which had contracts linked to the railway’s construction.

The Gánt quarry is managed by Dolomit Ltd., a company that lists several Orbán family members in leadership positions. Viktor Orbán’s father, Győző Orbán Sr., serves as the majority owner and CEO, while his brother, Győző Orbán Jr., and nephew, Dávid Orbán, also have executive roles. The family has been engaged in business with state projects for years, but this new revelation ties them directly to the highly publicised Budapest-Belgrade railway.

gánt dolomit quarry budapest-belgrade railway — The quarry in Gánt, from which over 200,000 tons of railway ballast were transported to the construction of the Budapest-Belgrade railway line. Photo: Dolomit Kft.

The railway renovation is Hungary’s largest-ever rail development, costing over HUF 800 billion (EUR 2 billion), most of which is financed by loans from China. The government has promoted the project as a significant strategic partnership between Hungary and China. Prime Minister Orbán described it as a “win-win” for both countries—an assertion that seems particularly true for his family.

The documents reviewed by 444.hu suggest that some of the orders for the construction materials were placed by V-Híd, a company owned by Lőrinc Mészáros, a close associate of the prime minister. V-Híd has played a significant role as the main contractor for the railway project. Moreover, there were additional agreements planned between the Orbán family’s Dolomit Ltd. and a Chinese firm involved in the project, China Tiejiuju Engineering & Construction Ltd. This company was reportedly preparing to sign a contract worth HUF 1 billion (EUR 2.5 million) for the supply of crushed stone from the family quarry.

Orbán’s family members are the main beneficiaries

Though exact financial figures remain undisclosed, the quarry’s price list indicates that in 2023, the material was sold at HUF 6,215 (EUR 15.77) per ton, a price that increased to HUF 7,520 (EUR 19) in 2024. This rate was notably higher than the prices offered by competitors.

While the Orbán family’s involvement in state projects is not new, this level of participation in a high-profile international project has raised questions. Previously, their quarry in Gánt supplied materials for various state-funded and EU-backed infrastructure developments, including road construction and sewage system upgrades. Over the past decade, Győző Orbán Sr. has withdrawn over HUF 10 billion (EUR 25.3 million) in dividends from these business activities.

Despite attempts to reach the family members for comments, neither Győző Orbán Jr. (PM Orbán’s brother) nor his son Dávid (PM Orbán’s nephew) provided statements to the press, ending phone calls when journalists identified themselves.

The Budapest-Belgrade railway project continues to draw attention, both for its strategic implications and the financial beneficiaries, particularly among those close to Hungary’s top political leadership. As the construction progresses, the involvement of Viktor Orbán’s family remains a point of interest in both the domestic and international media.

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September 17, 2024

VSquare: Hungary acts as middleman for China’s EUR 500 million loan to Orbán’s Balkan allies

In July this year, Hungary announced a EUR 500 million loan to North Macedonia, a country now led by the nationalist VMRO-DPMNE party, which is closely aligned with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

According to VSquare, this deal may be linked to the EUR 1 billion loan that the Orbán government secured from China earlier in 2024. Several diplomatic sources informed the outlet that Hungary is essentially acting as a mediator for China, channelling Chinese funds to support North Macedonia.

The article cites a North Macedonian expert who noted that Hristijan Mickoski, leader of VMRO-DPMNE, had mentioned plans to secure a EUR 1 billion loan for strategic projects on the day of his election.

However, Mickoski quickly denied that the funds would come from Russia or China, instead claiming that a European country would provide the loan.

Hristijan Mickoski North Macedonian PM — Photo: Facebook/Hristijan Mickoski

Despite this, rumors surfaced that the money would, in fact, originate from China, but would be funneled through Serbia or Hungary. Later, Mickoski revised the loan amount to EUR 500 million.

VSquare reports that Hungary’s involvement in this transaction has raised eyebrows, especially considering that the Orbán government is grappling with its own financial challenges.

“What makes the story even more mysterious is that, according to an internationally connected business source, Hungary originally hoped to secure a much bigger loan during Xi Jinping’s visit to Budapest as a substitute for the country’s frozen EU funds,” Szabolcs Panyi, writer of the article, concludes.

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September 14, 2024

Nixon in China: the opera based on a historic summit premieres on Hungarian stage for the 1st time

On 22 September 2024, the Eiffel Art Studios of the Hungarian State Opera presents Nixon in China by John Adams. The opera show taking place at several locations simultaneously and featuring ballet elements stars Károly Szemerédy, Klára Kolonits, Zoltán Nyári, and Rita Rácz. The most influential contemporary American opera of recent decades is directed by András Almási-Tóth, the ensembles of the OPERA are conducted by Gergely Vajda. Beginning with 29 September, the production will also be available on OperaVision for six months.

“The week that changed the world.” After 25 years of diplomatic seclusion, the news of the 1972 Sino-American summit in Beijing exploded like a bombshell during the Cold War. Politics and the press reporting on the event in detail started creating myths around the negotiations between Richard Nixon and Mao Tse-tung as early as the time of the visit whose consequences still affect our times.

The opera by John Adams, which is both minimalist and grandiose at the same time, has been in the repertoire of operas around the world since its Houston premiere in 1987. In the composer’s unique music, the symphonic sound is also complemented by a synthesizer and 5 saxophones, and influences by Philip Glass, Johann Strauss II, Wagner, and Stravinsky can be traced beside those of jazz elements reminiscent of big bands. As conductor Gergely Vajda puts it: “I find it fascinating how a story lasting several hours can be built from short and catchy pop music elements, and at the same time we see and hear live, flesh-and-blood characters as well as figures from news who lack almost any dramatic character development. This opera is like the musical equivalent of Andy Warhol’s infamous artwork Campbell’s Soup Cans.

The pop-art pioneer is also evoked in the visuals of artistic director András Almási-Tóth’s production. Whether it is the unusual and creative use of the spaces of the Eiffel Art Studios (set, lighting, and video designer: Sebastian Hannak), spectacular designer clothes (costume designer: Richárd Márton), projections (films by Zsombor Czeglédi), crowd scenes and ballet sequences (choreographer: Eszter Lázár), they are all part of a grandiose opera show.

The director of the opera believes that, like all important works, Nixon in China is about more than the basic story. The revaluation of events, the objective facts and their subjective assessment and experience are also important elements of the work, while it also presents a positive example of the meeting of two worlds: “two nations – unknown, incomprehensible, and opposite to each other – shake hands, because you must and you can co-exist even if your view on the world is completely different”.

The Hungarian premiere features an internationally acclaimed cast including Károly Szemerédy as Richard Nixon, Klára Kolonits as Pat Nixon, Zoltán Nyári as Mao Tse-tung, Rita Rácz as Chiang Ch’ing, Azat Malik as Chou En-lai, and István Kovács as Henry Kissinger. Further cast includes Diána Ivett Kiss, Anna Csenge Fürjes, and Lusine Sahakyan, the Hungarian State Opera Orchestra and Chorus (chorus director: Gábor Csiki) are conducted by Gergely Vajda.

Following the premiere on 22 September 2024, the production can be seen on 29 September and 5 October at the Eiffel Art Studios of the Hungarian State Opera. The 29 September performance is streamed live on OperaVision, a project is supported European Union’s Creative Europe programme, and can be viewed free until 29 March 2025.

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September 13, 2024

PM Orbán says Europe’s competitiviness is in ‘serious decline’ – UPDATED

European competitiveness is in steep decline and will irreversibly fall behind that of the US and China unless the bloc is ready to take decisive action, PM Orbán said on Thursday, after talks with Luc Frieden, his Luxembourgian counterpart.

PM Orbán meets Luc Frieden

Orbán said he discussed with Frieden, who paid the visit to mark the 100th anniversary of diplomatic ties, the situation of the EU, including the Draghi Report reflecting on the bloc’s declining competitiveness.

“The situation is urgent,” Orbán said, adding that Hungary and Luxembourg both had a vested interest in boosting competitiveness.

At the talks, Orbán presented the current Hungarian EU presidency‘s draft competitiveness pact, to be discussed with all EU member states and presented for approval in November.

Orbán and Frieden agreed on the necessity of EU enlargement in the Western Balkans, and shared the position that a common EU Africa plan should be drafted.

Orbán said that unless the EU urgently prepared an Africa plan, the continent would only be a source of problems for the bloc, even though it could also be a source of economic advantage.

Hungary has chosen some African countries to which it can provide assistance through close bilateral cooperation “rather than waiting for the EU”, the prime minister noted.

He said Frieden agreed on the need for such individual attempts alongside a comprehensive African plan.

Frieden noted that in addition to the long-standing diplomatic relations between their two countries, Hungary also held the EU’s rotating presidency, adding that the need for continued dialogue was another reason for his visit to Budapest.

He reaffirmed his support for the Hungarian presidency’s stance on the need to focus on Europe’s competitiveness as a priority issue.

He called for deepening the common market and using private and state resources for the digitalisation of the European economies. Also, Europe must develop a defence industry and agricultural producers must be protected while avoiding overregulation, he added.

Frieden said Luxembourg supported the Hungarian presidency on economic issues.

On another subject, he said migration was a complex problem to which there were no simple, one-size-fits-all solutions. He said Luxembourg backed the EU’s pact on migration and asylum, adding, at the same time, that further steps were needed for harmonious social coexistence.

Meanwhile, Frieden said Hungary’s regional experiences regarding the war in Ukraine were important and concerning EU enlargement he also called it important to ensure a European perspective for the Western Balkans.

Praising the EU’s borderless Schengen system, Frieden called for strengthening cooperation among member states’ law enforcement agencies, adding that the external borders should be protected in a way that allowed for people “to live happily within the EU”.

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September 12, 2024