Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico flew to China on Tuesday to attend the military parade commemorating victory in World War II on 3 September. Hungary and Slovakia will be the only European Union member states represented at the event, which will also be attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, among others.
‘Hungary is interested in civilized East–West cooperation rather than a renewed division of the world into blocs,’ Szijjártó stressed as he departed for Beijing on Tuesday. According to the ministry, he underlined that current economic, security, and social tensions and crises have set the world on a dangerous path. ‘We Hungarians are interested in restoring global cooperation based on mutual respect,’ he pointed out.
Szijjártó explained that one of the key drivers of Hungary’s economic performance over the past decade has been its role as a meeting point between Eastern and Western economies.
‘Tomorrow in China I will discuss this with my foreign minister colleague and with the leaders of major Chinese companies: how to further develop Hungarian–Chinese economic cooperation, how to bring more Chinese investment to Hungary, and how to make Hungary an even greater beneficiary of civilized East–West cooperation,’ he stated.
At the level of heads of state and government, Robert Fico will be the only EU leader attending the parade. The Slovak Prime Minister, known for his close ties with Russia, also attended a similar event in Moscow in May, prompting severe criticism from the EU mainstream. EU ambassadors have decided to boycott the military parade due to the presence of Putin.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić will also be present on Wednesday in Beijing.
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