Breakfast Roundtable: China’s economic presence in Hungary - A blueprint for Chinese bridgeheads in Europe?, 28.01.2025, 08h30

Date: 28 January 2025

Time: 08:30 - 10:00 (CET)

Venue: FES EU-Office, Rue du Taciturne 38, 1000 Bruxelles

Please register here.

In an era of mounting geopolitical tensions, Hungary has become a critical entry point for China into the European market, attracting considerable foreign direct investment and positioning itself as an important bridgehead for Beijing's global economic ambitions. Sectors like electric vehicles and battery manufacturing are at the centre of this economic strategy – sectors that play both an important role for Europe’s own decarbonisation and for strengthening its competitiveness and cleantech industries.

We are going to present key findings of the FES study “China’s European Bridgehead? The Chinese Economic Presence in Hungary” and discuss the following questions:

• What does China's involvement in Hungary mean for the economy, local players, labour markets and working conditions?
• What are the concerns in terms of security and dependency and in particular for European de-risking strategies?
• What are the implications for the development of European cleantech industries and their supply chains in Europe? And what is the impact on territorial balance and on European unity in general?
• What developments does the EU need to prepare for in the medium term in view of China's expanding ambitions? How should the EU's industrial policy strategy address these challenges in order to strengthen sectors, locations, jobs and workers' rights?

Draft Agenda

08h30  Welcome and Opening

• Ernst Hillebrand, Director of FES Hungary office, Budapest

08h35  “China’s European Bridgehead? The Chinese Economic Presence in Hungary”
             Main findings and conclusions from FES study

• Magdolna Sass, Director of the Institute of World Economics, Center for Economic and Regional Studies, Hungary

08h50  Comments and discussion chaired by Claudia Detsch, Director of FES Just Climate Competence Centre, Brussels

• Damien Levie (tbc), Head of Unit, Technology and Security, FDI Screening at DG TRADE European Commission
• Ildikó Krén, Stategic organizing, industriAll European trade union
• Elena Suárez Sánchez, Senior Adviser International Relations, BusinessEurope

Followed by Q&A with the roundtable participants.

10h00       End

Click to the link for your registration.

FES Study "China's European Bridgehead? The Chinese Economic Presence in Hungary" can be read here.