“Hungary has an interest in agricultural innovation that sets as its goal sustainable development and the reduction of substances that are damaging to the environment”, Minister of State Andrea Gulyás from the Ministry of Agriculture said in Kunming, China, at a summit of Chinese and Central-Eastern European Agriculture Ministers.

The 11th such forum and ministerial meeting was held in the capital of Yunnan province within the framework of the Chinese Government’s “One Belt, One Road” mechanism.

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At the forum, China’s Minister of Agriculture highlighted the fact that the amount of food imported into China from the countries of Central-Eastern Europe is growing every year and consumers are increasingly familiar with the countries and products of our region and have confidence in their quality.

Hungary is participating in the China International Agricultural Trade Fair, which is being held parallel to the forum, with its own pavilion. Hungarian exhibitors include enterprises that market pork, Hungarians wines and animal diagnostics equipment.

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During her visit to China, Minister of State for Public Administration Andrea Gulyás met with the leaders of the national central city of Chongqing, which has a population of 33 million people. Ms. Gulyás and the chairman of the city’s Science and Technology Committee signed a declaration of intent on facilitating agricultural cooperation after which the Hungarian-Chongqing Centre for Scientific and Technological Transfer was founded by Bay Zoltán Applied Research Non-profit Ltd. and the Chongqing Science and Technology Committee High-tech Incubator Centre.

Via the Hungarian Consulate General established in Chongqing in 2010, Hungary plays a significant role in the foreign affairs of the western Chinese region, especially including Chongqing, and there are currently several Hungarian agricultural technology projects underway within the region.

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Ms. Gulyás took part in China’s largest wine sector event as the guest of honour of the ProWine expo in Shanghai. Many Hungarian wines and wine-makers are represented at the expo each year and their products also appear on the shelves of Chinese shops. White wines, for which demand so far has been low on a market traditionally dominated by red wines, are increasingly sought-after at the Hungarian pavilion.

The Minister of State also visited the Hungarian pavilion which will soon be opening in Shanghai’s free trade zone and which will showcase the Hungarian foods being marketed in China. Thanks to its size and design, the pavilion is suitable for holding product presentations, promotional events and other, cultural, educational and touristic events, and is awaiting interest from companies that market Hungarian products.

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Ms. Gulyás also visited the shop in Shanghai that markets Hungarian products and held negotiations’ with the head of the retail chain on the listing and marketing of further Hungarian products; in November and December the location will also be the venue for wine-tastings to promote wines produced in the Carpathian Basin.

(Ministry of Agriculture Press Office)