Mitch McConnell, US Senator, said that Hungary's leaders had made friends with America's biggest strategic opponents On his website. The US Senator commented on the European tour of Chinese President Xi Jinping and the relations of the Hungarian government led by Prime Minister Viktor Orban with China.
“This week, Putin is in Beijing to promote what Russia and China have called a ‘borderless friendship,’” Mitch McConnell began his op-ed. But last week, it was Chinese President Xi Jinping who started the journey. He wrote that he was particularly warmly welcomed in Budapest, Hungary, referring to the Chinese President's visit to Budapest.
As he said, the visit of the leader of the People's Republic of China came at a time when more and more of our European NATO allies are waking up. They recognize not only the harsh reality of Russian aggression, but also the interconnected threats to the West's security and prosperity, the pressing requirements of defense production, and the particular challenge posed by China as a systemic competitor… “But Hungary? Not so much,” the US senator said.
Viktor Orban's government treats China as the most important trading partner outside the European Union. Beijing has granted broad law enforcement powers to pursue dissidents on Hungarian soil. It was the first European country to join Beijing's “One Belt, One Road” initiative, which other European governments, such as that of Italian Prime Minister Meloni, have wisely chosen to abandon.
– Mitch McConnell, leader of the US Republican Party faction in the Senate, wrote on his website.
Hungary strengthened its relationship with Huawei, according to the American representative, and all of this after the previous American administration made great efforts to encourage Europe to reject it. He wrote that Hungary allowed the Chinese telecom giant to use Chinese technology to expand the country's 5G network.
Hungary opens the West's gate to China
While other European countries are paying huge sums to remove Huawei from their telecom infrastructure, Hungary is home to Huawei's European regional logistics hub, according to the Republican representative. He declared: This is a real gateway to the West.
Growing Chinese influence in Hungary should be a red flag for anyone deeply concerned about strategic competition with China. And from across the Atlantic, there is good reason to appreciate the European government's willingness to challenge EU orthodoxy on matters such as short-sighted climate policy, or swim against the tide in defense of conservative values. But here in Washington, we have an obligation to evaluate whether our allies and partners share our interests, not just our values. No matter how brave they may be against EU bureaucrats in Brussels, Hungary's leaders have made friends with America's greatest strategic adversaries.
– said Mitch McConnell, who said that Hungary's desire to act as a doormat for China in Europe is difficult to reconcile with the “Washingtonians' position.”
Viktor Orbán's government has signed more agreements with China, from transportation infrastructure to potential nuclear cooperation. A joint statement described the relationship between the two countries as a “comprehensive strategic partnership that operates in all weather conditions.” The US senator wrote that this is between Hungary and the People's Republic of China.
The Senator revealed the interest of the United States
McConnell wrote that it is in America's interest to have strong allies willing to bear a greater share of the weight of collective defense against threats posed by Russia, Iran, and China. He added that we could have welcomed two other allies to our ranks much sooner had Orban not prevented Sweden and Finland from joining NATO.
While the United States urged the European Union to do more to support Ukraine, Hungary prevented further burden-sharing between the European Union. Frankly, Mr. President, Hungary stands at the crossroads between three forces that seek to undermine our security and prosperity. The Orban government embodies what not to do in the face of these challenges
This was stated by the US Senator.
“My message to European allies is the same, regardless of their politics or culture: Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea are working together to undermine us. We must move faster to rebuild the hard power we need to deter and defeat aggression, and we must hold each other accountable to share the burden of collective defense,” he said. Adding that there is still a lot to be done on this front. .
(Cover photo: Mitch McConnell in Washington on January 31, 2024. Photo: Kevin Deitch/Getty Images)
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