“The coronavirus represents a global challenge: a response based on unity, solidarity, mutual support and multilateral cooperation is required”, Minister of Finance Mihály Varga said quoting the joint statement issued following the “One Belt One Road” international cooperation video conference organised by the Chinese government.

The Finance Minister represented Hungary at the meeting, held with the participation of over twenty-five countries. “Hungary is taking all possible action to successfully reinforce cooperation between out countries’ healthcare systems, and to ensure that effective cooperation comes about within the field of health research”, Mr. Varga explained in his speech. “Hungarian-Chinese relations have never been so close as they are at the current moment, in addition to which out goal is to expand comprehensive strategic partnership relations and to also strengthen our relations with the other countries of the One Belt One Road (OBOR) Initiative”, the Minister stated.

“The Budapest-Belgrade railway development project is an excellent example of cooperation between regions, in view of the fact that connects China with countries from both inside and outside the European Union within the framework of a major investment project”, he added. At the One Belt One Road Initiative’s “Fighting the Coronavirus with Solidarity” conference, the participants issued a joint statement in which they stressed the program’s significance, and role in handling the crisis caused by the coronavirus and its economic effects.

The goal of the One Belt One Road Initiative is the development of economic cooperation that is more open and advantageous for everyone. The Initiative originally focussed on supporting the realisation of economic corridors, industrial and logistics centres, free trade and duty-free zones, rail and road networks, oil and gas pipelines, electric, telecommunications and internet networks, and dock and maritime infrastructure projects.

Today, however, the realisation of cooperation within the framework of the OBOR is now also conceivable within the fields of dialogue between people, education, media, innovation, and rights relating to intellectual property, and also within the field of health research. Hungary was the first European country with which China concluded a cooperation agreement within the framework of the initiative in 2015.

(Ministry of Finance/MTI)