Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó held talks with Managing Director of BYD Europe Isbrand Ho on Thursday, the Ministry said in a statement to Hungarian news agency MTI.

According to the information provided by the Ministry, Chinese company BYD operates Europe’s largest electric bus production plant in Komárom. The company currently employs 250 people and has tripled its turnover in recent years. During the meeting, the parties discussed the plant’s further expansion, thanks to which more high-added-value workplaces will be created in the region.

In a Facebook post, Mr. Szijjártó wrote that BYD is one of the largest and most important companies in China. The corporation opened its first European facility, its electric bus plant, in Komárom, and has been expanding the plant ever since.

In view of the coronavirus epidemic, the company has shifted one of its largest Chinese plants to the production of face masks, manufacturing 20 million-a-day. The Hungarian government has ordered 20 million face masks from the company in the interests of protecting healthcare workers, and the first part of the shipment will be arriving in Hungary next week. At the start of the negotiations, BYD donated 100 thousand face masks to Hungary, it transpires from the Minister’s post.

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister/MTI)