Former Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has announced that he will resign his parliamentary seat and take up an international position at Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD.
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Szijjártó’s new role at BYD is notable given his long-standing support for Chinese investment and cooperation while serving as foreign minister. He repeatedly argued that closer economic ties between Hungary and China represented an opportunity rather than a threat.
When the European Union considered introducing tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, Szijjártó criticised the move, arguing that Europe should pursue cooperation with China instead of confrontation.
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The BYD factory being built in Szeged, Hungary, is facing scrutiny after reports of EU labour laws being violated among the Chinese migrant workforce.
Two workers have died at BYD’s Hungary plant, raising concerns over work safety.
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And thus his rewards for the work he’s done.
Yeah, and one more reason not to buy this car.
Revolving Door
Now now, let’s play a little bit of devil’s advocate here.
It is possible that his strong support for Chinese investments and cooperation stems from a genuine place and a belief that it would help Hungary.
And if that was the case, then him choosing to move to a position within a company he believes in strongly, such as BYD, makes sense.