Speaking at the opening of the Asian Financial Cooperation Association's (AFCA) 2025 Financial Forum in Budapest on 25 August, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said that Hungary's geographic location and export-oriented economy promoted unimpeded global trade.
Szijjártó said that the EU has adopted a completely wrong strategy towards China and that European leaders do not see the huge potential of civilisational cooperation with China. "Instead of building cooperation on a rational basis, they have politicized it and made it subordinate to ideology again." "If European business is to succeed in key areas, cooperation with China is essential. Hungary is a prime example of this and is an important point of contact for businesses from the West and the East."