“No European country should act as if they do not have an interest in maintaining good relations with China”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said on his Facebook page of Friday following an online meeting of EU ministers to discuss the relationship between the European Union and China.

“It’s time for honest and straightforward speech, as it is evident that when we compete for Chinese investments and export opportunities, we are competing with the other European countries, just as we have had to do when procuring respirators and the other equipment required for health protection”, Mr. Szijjártó wrote.

“Hungary supports the conclusion of an investment protection treaty between the European Union and China, providing it serves its interests, but it rejects the application of a double standard”, he highlighted.

According to the Minister, European regulations and statements cannot serve the goal of enabling the large Western European countries to cause economic and market disadvantages to the smaller European countries with respect to the economic cooperation they conduct with China. “Only a little over 10 percent of the 700 billion dollars in trade flow realised each year between the European Union and China is realised by the countries of Central Europe”, he added.

“We therefore reject the application of a double standard, and it is high time the large Western European countries also left hypocrisy behind them concerning relations developed with China”, Mr Szijjártó said. “They are also realising many tens of billions of dollars of investment and many tens of billions of dollars in trade flow with the Chinese”, the Minister wrote.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade/MTI)