China's top diplomat Wang Yi, who is visiting Russia this week urged on Monday for negotiations and peace for the sake of the world and Europe in particular. The visit of the Chinese official to Russia comes after US President Joe Biden secretly traveled to Ukraine to meet with his counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday.
Wang Yi, who will be in Moscow on the one-year anniversary of its invasion of Ukraine, said, “We would like a political solution to provide a peaceful and sustainable framework to Europe."
The Chinese diplomat had halted in Hungary, which could witness billions of euros of new Chinese investment in the country. China, which considers Russia an ally, has so far refrained from condemning the February 24 invasion of Ukraine. However, it has repeatedly urged for peace.
In a video interaction during a Facebook meeting with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, Wang said the world was afflicted by disorder and wars.
"Let me echo what we have just heard (from you) and jointly declare to the world that China and Hungary gladly work together with other peace-loving countries to bring the current hostilities to a halt as soon as possible," Wang told Szijjarto in a Facebook video during their meeting, reported news agency Reuters.
Hungary, which is a member of both NATO and the European Union, has maintained closer ties to Moscow than other members of those groups.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who was reelected in 2022 for a fourth consecutive term, stressed on Saturday again that being a NATO member was "vital" for Hungary, but specified that his government would not supply arms to Ukraine or sever its economic relations with Moscow.
Orban, who has strived to build closer business ties with China, hosted Wang at a private dinner on Sunday, news agency MTI reported. Wang reaffirmed Beijing's commitment to pushing economic ties, including via China's vast Belt and Road Initiative.
China's CATL plans to build a 7.3 billion euro ($7.8 billion) battery plant in Hungary, Europe's largest so far, as the world's biggest electric vehicle battery maker gears up to meet growing demand from global automakers.