China addresses Péter Szijjártó's appointment at BYD

China's ambassador to Hungary, Gong Tao, has addressed the appointment of former Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó to a position at the Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD. The ambassador stated that the appointment was a personal career decision by Szijjártó and that BYD followed its own market-based recruitment practices. Consequently, the Chinese government does not intend to provide a formal comment on the specific appointment.

Despite the lack of official comment on the individual, Gong Tao emphasized that Beijing expects all Chinese companies, including BYD, to strictly adhere to Hungarian and European Union laws and regulations. He also noted that the ambassador acknowledges the regulatory reviews being conducted by Hungarian authorities.

Gong Tao highlighted BYD's significant investments in Hungary, which include the establishment of a bus factory, a battery factory, and an electric vehicle manufacturing base, as well as the creation of the company's European headquarters and a research and development center in the country. He noted these investments contribute to local job creation and Hungary's technological and green transition.