(Last Update: 2011/08/22)

The partnership of friendship and cooperation between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Hungary continued to grow in 2010, as evidenced by expanding practical cooperation in various areas.

There were frequent high-level visits and growing political mutual trust. On 31 October, Premier Wen Jiabao met with Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who came to China for the Closing Ceremony and Summit Forum of the Shanghai World Expo. Premier Wen said that China-Hungary relations withstood test and made steady progress in more than six decades of diplomatic ties. China would like to work with Hungary in the spirit of mutual respect and mutual benefit to promote balanced and sustained growth in trade, strengthen exchanges and friendship, and open up new prospects for China-Hungary friendly relations. Prime Minister Orban affirmed Hungary's consistent commitment to the one China policy and readiness to enhance political mutual trust, expand economic and trade cooperation, and intensify cultural exchanges with China to bring about new progress in Hungary-China relations and EU-China relations. From 29 August to 3 September, Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjen and Vice President of Parliament Janos Latorcai visited China for the sixth Northeast Asia Investment and Trade Expo in Changchun, Jilin Province. They met with Vice Premier Hui Liangyu and NPC Vice Chairman Lu Yongxiang in Beijing.

Inter-parliamentary and party-to-party exchanges further expanded. CPPCC Vice Chairman and Minister of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee Du Qinglin, CPPCC Vice Chairman and President of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Chen Kuiyuan, Deputy Director-General of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Management Bureau for Affairs Related to Offices Directly under the CPC Central Committee Zhang Jianping, Deputy Secretary-General of the NPC Standing Committee and Vice Chairperson of the China Democratic National Construction Association Zhang Shaoqin, and Member of the CPPCC Standing Committee and Chairman of the CPPCC Committee for Learning and Cultural and Historical Data Chen Fujin visited Hungary. President of the Socialist Party Ildiko Lendvai and Parliamentary Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information Andras Jori visited China.

The two foreign ministries maintained close consultations and dialogue. In July, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met with Minister of Foreign Affairs Janos Martonyi on the sidelines of the ARF foreign ministers' meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam. In February, Minister of Foreign Affairs Peter Balazs presided over the inaugural ceremony of Hungary's consulate-general in Chongqing.

Economic and trade cooperation enjoyed steady growth. In January, State Secretary of the Ministry of National Development and Economy Zoltan Mester led a delegation to the 16th Session of China-Hungary Joint Committee in Economy held in Beijing. Minister of National Development Tamas Fellegi and State Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Affairs Zsolt Becsey visited China.

Bilateral exchanges and cooperation in culture, environmental protection, quality inspection, military affairs, finance and other fields continued to grow. A number of Chinese delegations visited Hungary, including Vice Minister of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office Ye Kedong, Vice Minister of Science and Technology Cao Jianlin, Deputy Administrator of the General Administration of Customs Wang Songhe, Deputy President of the Supreme People's Court Shen Deyong, Director-General of the Political Department of the Ministry of Public Security Cai Anji, Secretary of the Leading Party Group and Deputy President of the China Law Society Liu Yang, Member of the Central Military Commission and Commander of the Second Artillery Force General Jing Zhiyuan, Commander of the Lanzhou Military Region Lieutenant General Wang Guosheng, Vice Minister of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine Liu Pingjun, Chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission Shang Fulin, and Director-General of China Radio International Wang Gengnian. Attorney General Tamas Kovacs and State Secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development Zoltan Illes visited China.

On 22 August, Deputy Commissioner General of the Chinese government to the Shanghai World Expo Zhu Zushou and State Secretary of the Ministry of National Resources Geza Szocs attended and addressed the National Pavilion Day activities of Hungary. The Hungarian Pavilion received nearly six million visitors during the Expo and played host to 50 students from earthquake-afflicted areas in Yushu, Qinghai Province.

(Source: fmprc.gov.cn)