Hungarian speaks his mind about Beijing

Hungary’s former Foreign Minister, Péter Szijjártó, has resigned from Parliament; he is no longer an MP for Fidesz, Viktor Orbán’s party in which he began his political career, and has decided to take up a position with the Chinese automotive giant BYD as a senior executive responsible for the group’s external relations and the development of new business lines. Szijjártó has been at the helm of Hungarian diplomacy since 2014 and has passionately nurtured relations with Moscow and Beijing. Together with his prime minister, he has helped turn Hungary into a Trojan horse for Russia and China in Europe; indeed, under the Fidesz government, BYD itself has invested heavily in Hungary, and by the end of 2026 the company is expected to begin assembling cars at its new Hungarian plant, which is set to become the most important production hub in Europe.

Fidesz has opened the doors to the Russians and the Chinese across the board, from energy to vaccines, even using political leverage to protect their interests: Szijjártó also admitted to having had contacts with senior Russian officials whilst his European colleagues were discussing new sanctions against Russia. Szijjártó has always proudly asserted his preference for ties with Moscow and Beijing over those with Brussels, and indeed the new Prime Minister, Péter Magyar – sharp-tongued as ever – has accused the former minister of having always represented foreign interests and of having exerted constant pressure to grant Byd “substantial Hungarian state subsidies”: “The only difference from before is that from now on Szijjártó will not be paid by the Hungarian people for the same work, but by his actual employer.” Magyar is embarking on a restructuring of the country, and the nation’s international standing is also part of this overhaul. For years, Hungary has been a gateway for Russians and Chinese; Szijjártó can now reap economic benefits from his past work and reinvent himself as Beijing’s man on the ground, whilst for Budapest, the wounds inflicted by this Orbán-style double-dealing have yet to be healed.