Former Hungarian Foreign Minister Joins China’s BYD, Sparking Conflict-Of-Interest Debate (Worthy News Investigation)

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Hungary’s Prime Minister Péter Magyar accused former Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó on Wednesday of serving foreign interests, including those of communist-run China, after the longtime diplomat resigned from parliament to join Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD.

Szijjártó, who served as Hungary’s top diplomat for nearly 12 years under former populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, defended his decision, saying he had received “a highly prestigious offer” from the world’s largest electric vehicle manufacturer “to fill an international position.”

“BYD is one of the greatest success stories in the automotive industry over the past 20 years,” Szijjártó wrote on Facebook.

“Starting today, I will continue my work as the executive responsible for the group’s external relations and the development of new business lines.”

BYD APPOINTMENT

Szijjártó said he had accepted the offer after resigning his parliamentary mandate, ending a political career that began when he was first elected to Hungary’s parliament in 2002.

Neither Szijjártó nor BYD disclosed the financial terms of his appointment.

However, the move comes as Hungary’s new government continues investigating alleged abuses of power and possible corruption linked to members of the previous Orbán administration and their associates. Szijjártó has not been charged with any wrongdoing.

While serving in government, Szijjártó was instrumental in securing Chinese investment in Hungary, including for his new employer, BYD, which received substantial Hungarian state support during his tenure.

STATE SUBSIDIES SCRUTINIZED

In 2023, Szijjártó announced that BYD would build its first European passenger car factory in Hungary, enabling the company to manufacture vehicles within the European Union as Brussels increased scrutiny of subsidized Chinese electric-vehicle imports.

Szijjártó said at the time that the investment followed 224 rounds of negotiations between BYD and the Hungarian government. He described it as “one of the largest investments in Hungarian economic history,” while the government declined to disclose the size of its financial incentives for the project.

In 2025, Szijjártó also announced that BYD would establish its European headquarters and a research and development center in Budapest. The Hungarian government pledged 20 billion forints (about $64 million) in support for the project.

During Orbán’s years in power, Hungary became China’s leading investment destination in Central Europe, welcoming Chinese electric vehicle and battery manufacturers while opposing European Union tariffs on Chinese-made EVs. Budapest also participated in China’s Belt and Road Initiative, including the modernization of the Budapest-Belgrade railway.

MAGYAR ACCUSES FORMER DIPLOMAT

Those policies made Hungary one of China’s closest economic partners within the European Union, with Chinese investments playing an increasingly prominent role in the country’s automotive and battery industries.

Prime Minister Péter Magyar wrote on social media that Szijjártó had “long represented foreign interests” and noted that he had “previously lobbied to secure massive Hungarian state subsidies” for BYD.

“In hindsight, it may now become clear even to Fidesz voters whose interests the former foreign minister of the failed Orbán government represented in connection with the investments in the battery and automotive industries,” Magyar wrote.

Szijjártó has not publicly responded to Magyar’s latest criticism.

RUSSIA CONNECTIONS RESURFACE

The announcement has intensified debate in Hungary over whether senior public officials should move directly into companies that benefited from major government support during their time in office.

Szijjártó’s appointment also revived scrutiny of his close relationship with Russia during his years as foreign minister.

Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, he continued making frequent trips to Moscow to negotiate energy agreements. He heldregular meetings with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, whom he publicly described as his “friend.”

In 2021, Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded Szijjártó the Russian Order of Friendship, one of Russia’s highest honors bestowed on foreign citizens.

REVOLVING DOOR DEBATE

During Hungary’s 2026 election campaign, reports emerged that Szijjártó had communicated with Lavrov before and after meetings of European Union foreign ministers. Szijjártó denied leaking confidential EU discussions but acknowledged speaking with the Russian foreign minister regarding meeting agendas and subsequent decisions.

In March, the Orbán government filed espionage-related charges against a prominent Hungarian investigative journalist over reporting on Szijjártó’s contacts with Lavrov. Those charges were dropped after Magyar’s government took office.

Szijjártó had missed most parliamentary votes since the April election and rarely appeared publicly in recent months, fueling speculation that negotiations over a senior international corporate position had been underway well before Wednesday’s announcement.

The move has renewed debate in Hungary and elsewhere in Europe over potential conflicts of interest when senior public officials join companies that benefited from government support negotiated during their time in office.

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