Hungarian journalist emphasizes BRI's role in connecting countries

My name is Marton Brem-Nagy. I'm from Hungary. Actually, this is my first time here in China.

Everybody, even in the West, is speaking about the Chinese economic miracle. In terms of the last 10 years, it's perfectly clear that China is developing even faster and it's ready to take the position as one of the world's leading powers.

In terms of Hungary and the Belt and Road Initiative, we were the first one from the European Union to join the Belt and Road Initiative in 2015. Back then, our prime minister Viktor Orbán said that this is a strategic interest of Hungary. And it's really true because we need some investment also from the world, but also from the East.

In terms of the ongoing project, I think the biggest one is the Belgrade-Budapest railway line, which is not just connecting the two capitals, but it's benefiting both people and, for example, commerce. That kind of railway is now going on. As far as I can tell, it's building really fast because actually in Budapest I live next door to the Budapest-Belgrade railway. So from time to time, I see that there are railways getting funding and there is heavy machinery happening. So, it's working quite well, but other than that, the Belt and Road Initiative in Hungary, has opened the door to Chinese development in every term, in every kind of cooperation.

There are tons of economic agreements signed by both parties. I mean the Hungarian government, and the Chinese government as well. Nowadays, the most hot topic in Hungary is the electronic (electric) car battery industry, and as far as I know, for example, the Chinese corporation CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited) is now settling in Debrecen, which is a Hungarian city and it's building the biggest European battery factory in Debrecen. It has actually opened a gateway for a better economic relationship and better cultural exchange as well.

The Belt and Road Initiative is actually a really good example of how we can achieve connection in the European Union. In Central and Eastern Europe, there are a ton of nations. There are tons of countries, which means tons of borders and tons of different regulations. So the Belt and Road Initiative is actually really good, for example, to make a bridge between these different countries and bring them together and build something together to benefit all of the participants in it.

I really hope that this kind of economic relationship turns into cultural relations, because the railway is important. Every infrastructure is important. Because without infrastructure, there is no development. But in terms of friendship, true friendship is always built on cultural aspects, the mutual trust, the people to people exchange.

The economy connects us, but friendship is built in cultural terms, I guess.