Hungary's Magyar says open to cooperation with China

BUDAPEST, April 13 (Xinhua) -- Hungary's election winner Peter Magyar said on Monday that he is open to pragmatic cooperation with China and the cooperation serves the interests of both sides.

Speaking at his first international press conference after his Tisza party won Sunday's parliamentary election, Magyar said China is "one of the most important and strongest countries in the world" and that cooperation is in the interest of both countries.

"I would be very happy to visit Beijing, and we would also be very pleased to welcome Chinese leaders here in Hungary," he said.

Addressing Chinese investment projects in Hungary, Magyar said such investments will be reviewed, but not with the aim of undermining or stopping them.

Rather, he said, the goal will be to ensure that the projects comply with European Union and Hungarian standards on environmental protection, health and labor, and that they contribute to the performance of the Hungarian economy.

He said such projects can be beneficial if supply chains are developed, Hungarian small- and medium-sized enterprises are able to participate, and value chains are created that contribute to Hungary's gross domestic product and the well-being of its people.

"We warmly welcome investors -- we just need to find common interests," he said.