The two countries signed an agreement on a strategic partnership in 2016 and a free trade agreement last year. The red-carpet treatment by Serbia and Hungary has worried some of their Western partners, which see China's incursion into the region as both an economic and security risk. The government has said the officers will ensure public safety among Chinese tourists and members of Hungary's large Chinese diaspora. But critics say the officers could be used as an extension of Xi's single-party state to exert control over the Chinese community. Such investments, Orbán said Thursday, are what will keep Hungary competitive in the future, from wherever they come.

Source: ABC News May 14, 2024 05:47 UTC