Hungary eyes Chinese market potentials at China-CEEC Expo

BUDAPEST, May 16 (Xinhua) -- Hungary eagerly taps the Chinese market as it took center stage at the third China-Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) Expo & International Consumer Goods Fair in the eastern Chinese city of Ningbo.

As the guest country of honor to the expo kicking off on Tuesday, Hungary has 35 companies displaying a variety of products at the site, which look forward to more business opportunities with Chinese partners.

"Hungarian manufacturers are displaying tremendous enthusiasm and actively participating in the upcoming China-CEEC Expo," Zsanett Ihasz, the manager for China of the Hungarian Export Promotion Agency (HEPA), responsible for Hungary's participation in the expo, shared her excitement in a recent interview with Xinhua.

The Hungarian pavilion at the CEEC Expo showcases a variety of captivating offerings, including a Hungarian-developed Teqball table, a Magic Wall with stunning digital effects, and an array of excellent Hungarian wines ready for tasting.

Noting the importance of the Chinese market, Ihasz said Hungarian companies will exploit the opportunities offered by the Chinese market to "encourage the expansion of Hungarian food and agricultural exports."

HEPA views the expo as a "remarkable opportunity to showcase Hungary's economic potential and bolster trade relations with China, fostering enduring and mutually advantageous partnerships while contributing to the growth and prosperity of both nations," she said.

Helen Huang, the owner of Wink Wine, who is one of the largest importers of Hungarian original bottle wine in China, attended the China-CEEC Expo for the third consecutive time.

She said the company has brought to the expo the Babits wine from the Tokaj wine area, the "bull's blood" dry red from the famous small town of Eger and a commemorative wine giving homage to the famous Hungarian poet Petofi, who was born 200 years ago.

"It is our star product in this exhibition," Huang said, adding that her company will establish a new entity in Ningbo this year, aiming to leverage the platform of the China-CEEC Expo for further development of the company.

Hungary has sent a delegation led by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto to attend the opening ceremony of the expo.

According to a video of Szijjarto's speech given at the expo, which the minister posted on his Facebook account, the economic and commercial cooperation between Hungary and China is breaking records. "Hungary is already the entry point for Chinese freight transport in Central Europe," he said.

Noting that China is one of the five largest investors in Hungary in recent years, he asserted that Hungary would never discriminate against Chinese companies, even under external pressure.

"Hungary continues to encourage the Chinese companies to invest. We provide the maximum possible support for Chinese companies, which can benefit from the application of Europe's lowest flat-rate taxes in the area of personal and corporate income tax," he said.

Szijjarto said Hungary is dedicated to fostering enduring partnerships that contribute to the growth and prosperity of both Central Europe countries and China.