Péter Szijjártó, Hungary's former foreign minister, has resigned from his parliamentary seat to join Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD as a senior executive, the 47-year-old announced on social media on July 15.
Szijjártó said he had received "a prestigious offer from one of the world's leading companies" and would serve as a manager overseeing the group's external relations and the development of new business areas.
"BYD is one of the most successful automotive companies of the past two decades and a global leader in new energy vehicles," he wrote.
First elected to Hungary's National Assembly in 2002, Szijjártó served as foreign minister from 2014 until May 2026 and was a prominent advocate of closer ties between China and Hungary.
In November 2025, he stated in Brussels that Hungary had ranked among the world's top destinations for Chinese investment over the previous two years and pledged to continue promoting "unimpeded global economic cooperation" with Beijing.
Szijjártó visited Shenzhen in October 2023, with stops at Huawei and BYD among the highlights of his itinerary.
"Hungary offers Europe's best investment environment," he told reporters at the time. "We have the lowest tax rates, including Europe's only single-digit corporate income tax rate. We have always respected Chinese companies. I think this makes us attractive to Chinese firms including BYD and Huawei."
Hungary has become a key base for BYD's European expansion. BYD announced in May 2025 that it would establish its European business headquarters in Budapest, and its first passenger car factory in Europe is under construction in Szeged.
Author | Jiang Chang
Photo | Nanfang Plus
