00:00 Can you tell me what is the current state of relations between Hungary and China
00:07 and how do you see them now particularly in terms of economic development?
00:13 You know, we have some traditions with China
00:19 because the history started on the Silk Road
00:28 to have relations with China and Hungary.
00:33 And we have some traditions, good traditions.
00:36 And that's 75 years we made diplomatic relations with China.
00:47 So in 2002-2003 started a new era of the relations between Hungary and China
00:57 because we recognized in Hungary that China will be one of the most important powers in the world
01:06 and we have to create good relations, economic, cultural, diplomatic, personal relations.
01:14 And I'm very, very happy to see that not only me but my successors follow also this politics
01:25 and that's the reason because today I can say that the Hungarian-Chinese relations are really excellent.
01:32 You know, we're looking like an opportunity for Hungary, this initiative
01:38 because it opened the doors to better relations and concrete projects.
01:49 I give an example. We have the project, the railway development between Belgrade and Budapest.
02:05 And I think this is good for both countries, good for China because they make the investment
02:14 but also good for the other countries because it opened the opportunity to continue
02:23 and to have the very good and very intensive trade relations, not only between Serbia and Hungary
02:33 but between Western Europe and Eastern Europe.
02:38 Now critics argue that Hungary's ties with China could undermine EU unity.
02:46 How do you respond to those concerns?
02:49 That's... Me, I think more China, this is not less Europe.
03:02 This is not a contradictory relation. So to use the good relations with China
03:12 give us better position to developing and to have more important role in European Union.
03:23 So I don't see really any contradiction between the relations with two very important groups, if you want, Europe and China.
03:36 We have a very good intellectual capacity in my country.
03:42 And we are ready to learn from the others who are ready to cooperate with Hungary.
03:51 But as a small country, as I told you, we have a very good intellectual capacity.
03:58 And that's our added value in the Chinese-Hungarian relations.
04:06 And we are ready really to learn also from the Chinese technology.
04:13 Some significant developments BYD coming to Southern Hungary, CATL also setting up shop here,
04:21 making it possibly the biggest hub for electric vehicle battery making in Europe.
04:29 Did you ever dream of that? Did you ever think that would be achievable back in 2003?
04:34 Not at all. No, not at all. I'm very happy to see that the Chinese companies coming to Hungary to do something.
04:46 But, you know, my dream was a little bit larger.
04:52 Because I'm very happy to see that the economic relations developing very well.
05:00 But I think this is also very important to have the good cultural relations,
05:06 to have the relations in the school, in the research and development, not only pure economy.
05:21 How do you see the relationship between Hungary and China in the future?
05:30 You know, I'm quite optimistic because I think despite the good results,
05:38 we have a lot of space to developing the relations.
05:45 And there is a will in the political level but also in the personal relations, also to developing these relations.
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