Fudan: US embassy deputy chief would be interested in the details of the Chinese loan
“I think transparency is not characteristic of the Belgrade-Budapest railway and the Fudan University project,” he added.
As we reported before, the Hungarian state is building the new railway line from a Chinese loan of EUR 4.74 bn, even though many say that the project will never become profitable. The same is true about the Fudan University project. The government will build all the infrastructure in Budapest for the third-best Chinese university for EUR 1.59 bn. Even China-experts say regarding both businesses that they are not worth it to the Hungarian taxpayers.
The American deputy chief said that, as far as he is aware of the issue, the details of the Fudan project are kept secret. However, if he were Hungarian, he would be interested in the relevant contracts.
“The lack of transparency creates uncertainty not only in business but also in national security,” Marc Dillard highlighted.
Dillard added in an interview given to hvg360 that one of the priorities of the Biden administration was China. They aim to help Hungarian government bodies and companies discover where China might have ulterior motives. “It is part of our job to help Hungary understand and prepare for the risks if they are doing business with China or Chinese entities,” he stated. Under entities, Mr Dillard thought of government institutions, companies, and even universities, like Fudan.
As we reported before,
the Fudan project is very controversial in Hungary.
Even the supporters of Fidesz do not back the investment wholeheartedly. The government says that Fudan University is one of the best universities globally, which is true. They also say that Budapest and Hungary will win a lot if Fudan comes to the Hungarian capital. That is what many Hungarians do not agree with.
The Hungarian opposition criticised the project many times. That is because of the very high Chinese loan (HUF 500 bn = EUR 1.4 bn), the Chinese companies that would build it, excluding Hungarian ones, and the Budapest student city aimed to be built in the area of Fudan. Because of that, the facilities there will be smaller than planned.
Many say that the Chinese Communist party will increase its influence in Hungary and Central Europe through the university, raising severe national security questions.
Furthermore, others accuse the government that this is again a further step taken from the Western block towards China. Gergely Karácsony, the lord mayor of Budapest, would like to hold a referendum about Fudan. The opposition parties also said that if they win in 2022, they will halt the project.
Dillard said to hvg360 that the USA appreciates Hungary’s participation in the NATO missions in Afghanistan or Kosovo but raises concerns about the state of human rights, democratic institutions or press freedom. Before, Anthony Blinken talked about Washington’s worries about the state of the Hungarian media to telex.hu.
U.S. Secretary of State Blinken slams China for not being transparent enough on how COVID-19 started
Source: telex.hu, hvg.hu
Sadly the US is becoming a country of multigenerational welfare single parent families, illiterates, backwards thinking hillbillies like never before. Add to that those who have easily become wealthy (not thru typical hard work in blue collar industries) but not widely knowledgeable about anything except misrepresented snippets of biased information by magazines that are no more than promotional propaganda for the ‘rich & beautiful’. Since when does People magazine truly educate on issues? Or glamour do more than make average women be unhappy with themselves & their lives?
Hungary needs to find a path forward to the future within its own borders thru dialouge with people. Set up what we call ‘town halls’ in every community where people can gather & discuss, question priorities, plans to work towards. We know that the Chinese are more clever than many other nations around the globe, are highly educated and hard working, this gives them the advantage that they can call the shots. Not necessarily bad, or good, for the Hungarian people. They need to start quickly to look at the facts of the projects and compare them to their own future goal.
In Canada the wealthy Chinese have bought up so much real-estate in BC that the average employed person can no longer live anywhere near their jobs or where they would want to. Those places for the most part sit empty, that builds no community. No volunteer fire fighters, hospital visitors, school supporters etc can exist in an empty community. AND drug crime came with the Chinese. Sad but true. The gangs are another aspect of too much $ in one place.
When large numbers of 1 specific cultural group move into a place they build interesting infrastructure & bring with them customs and opportunities to share with the ‘locals’. They bring educated people to become employees to existing businesses. They add colour thru their interesting habits, celebrations. Attract tourists. But they can also bring many problems. When Canada flew in huge numbers of people from a specific country with internal war about 15 yrs ago I was a volunteer interpreter because so many of them spoke Magyar. We found them to be ungrateful, greedy, wasteful (of food etc), demanding and highly backward in the ways they behaved within the family. Domestic violence was so frequent that our local police force became overwhelmed with our calls. We did not save them from violence to then overlook the violence they perpetrated on their children, their women & even their elderly. BARBARIANS! We here in NS were glad that they weren’t sasticefied with being in the lovely farming community that they were housed in thru lots of effort of many church congregations & our military. They were eventually put on planes to go West. “don’t let the door hit you on the ass on your way out” was our thought.
Not the business of the US. The Biden Administration should concentrate on the increasing inflation in the US.
Transparency in Orbanistan? This gentleman has got good sense of humor.
Countries should also be aware of making deals with the US, especially left leaning governments. Or else the US might start a coup and ousts their leaders and government (ex: see how the US helped ousted the Australia Prime Minister’s in the 70s).
What is a growing concern, knowing the “dogma” of the Fidesz Party – which fails in acts of transparency, is what, behind the scene’s is occurring and will be made TRANSPARENT to All – prior to the National Elections May 2022.
It will make for a fascinating read and deepen the “need” of citizens, to decide in there Vote – what direction they wish Hungary and under what form of Government they see for the Future.