Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban speaks at the opening ceremony of the Eurasia Forum 2024 held by the National Bank of Hungary in Budapest, Hungary on Nov. 21, 2024. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)
BUDAPEST, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban declared on Thursday that "the coming era, the coming century will be the century of Eurasia," urging Hungary to define its role within the region independently of European strategies.
Speaking at the Eurasia Forum in Budapest, organized by the Hungarian National Bank, Orban said: "Hungary must determine its place within this framework on its own and not derive it from a European strategy." The country already has a "very deliberate national and economic strategy," he added.
The prime minister linked Hungary's frequent disputes with the European Union (EU) to its independent strategic approach.
"All our disputes with Brussels stem from the fact that Hungary has an independent strategy that starts from new realities, acknowledges the given circumstances and defines Hungary's place in this context, regardless of Brussels' doctrine," Orban said.
Orban highlighted Eurasia's dominant position in the global economy, pointing out that the region accounts for 70 percent of global GDP, hosts three-quarters of the world's leading scientific clusters, and includes 15 of the top 20 financial centers.
Reflecting on Europe's position, Orban criticized what he described as the continent's inability to adapt to the shifting global landscape. "It either does not recognize the significance of Eurasian integration or refuses to embrace it."
Western elites have failed to overcome their "sense of superiority" and adapt to the rise of Asian economies, Orban claimed.
Hungary has outlined its approach, which includes diversifying trade, investments, and energy supplies. Over the past decade, Hungarian exports have doubled both in the east and the west and the country has also attracted significant foreign investments from Germany, China, South Korea, and the United States, Orban noted.
Hungary's strategy will validated next year, with major global investments being completed, Orban said. These investments include the Budapest-Belgrade railway, one of Europe's largest rail infrastructure projects, which China financed and partly constructed. New manufacturing plants, including BMW and Chinese battery factories, will begin production, alongside expanded facilities such as BYD in Szeged.
The Eurasia Forum, aimed at fostering dialogue on the economic and geopolitical opportunities within Eurasia, has drawn policymakers, business leaders and economists from across the globe this year. ■
Hungarian central bank governor Gyorgy Matolcsy speaks at the opening ceremony of the Eurasia Forum 2024 held by the National Bank of Hungary in Budapest, Hungary on Nov. 21, 2024. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban speaks at the opening ceremony of the Eurasia Forum 2024 held by the National Bank of Hungary in Budapest, Hungary on Nov. 21, 2024. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)
Hungarian central bank governor Gyorgy Matolcsy speaks at the opening ceremony of the Eurasia Forum 2024 held by the National Bank of Hungary in Budapest, Hungary on Nov. 21, 2024. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)