China’s President Xi Jinping arrived in Hungary on Wednesday as the final stop of a five-day European tour. The trip is the Communist leader’s first to the Eastern European country.
Xi is reportedly planning to finalize economic agreements related to his nation’s ‘belt and road’ program, a relationship that Budapest entered in 2022.
Hungary’s Foreign Minister, Péter Szijjártó, told reporters on Monday that at least 16 cooperation accords relating to infrastructure, nuclear energy, and automotive manufacturing will be approved during Xi’s two-day stay.
The foreign minister also highlighted Beijing’s role as one of Hungary’s largest providers of foreign investment.
The stopover, Xi’s first diplomatic venture to Europe in five years, is seen by observers as an attempt to improve relations with Russian allies in the region.
The Chinese leader’s visit followed stops in France and Serbia.
