Hungary and China cooperate in the field of nuclear energy
After meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced a new phase in the relationship between the two countries, focusing on areas including nuclear energy.
Bilateral agreements signed
The Chinese leader first visited France and Serbia, then stayed in Hungary until May 10. During this visit, he met with the President of Hungary, Tamas Sulyok, and the Prime Minister, Viktor Orban. This visit led to the signing of several bilateral agreements, including increasing the export of Hungarian agri-food products to China, encouraging Chinese companies to invest in Hungary, and promoting cooperation in clean energy, artificial intelligence, and mobile communications.
One result of the strengthened relations will be China’s involvement in expanding the nuclear power plant in Paks, central Hungary, which is being developed by the Russian company Rosatom and will include two VVER-1200 reactors.
75th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations
Last week’s visit marked the 75th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries. Currently, China is Hungary’s most significant investor. One of the notable investments is the construction of BYD’s first European passenger car factory in Szeged, southern Hungary. Additionally, CATL has announced plans to spend over EUR 7.3 billion to build a 100 GWh battery plant in Debrecen.
In summarizing the talks, Viktor Orban emphasized nuclear energy issues: “I will pay special attention to something that is not only an economic fact but also an expression of trust: we can expand our cooperation to the entire spectrum of the nuclear industry, where little has been done so far.” He highlighted Hungary’s substantial international experience and prestige in the nuclear industry, which spans over 50 years. Orban stated that the plan is for nuclear reactors to supply between 60 and 70% of Hungary’s energy by the beginning of the next decade.
Source: world-nuclear-news.org