Hungary's Former PM Szijjártó to Work for Chinese Carmaker BYD

Former Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó has resigned from parliament to work for Chinese electric carmaker BYD.

In a Wednesday Facebook update, Szijjártó, an ardent critic of Ukraine with a track record of opposing aid to Kyiv, said his resignation was spurred by an “extremely honorable offer “ from BYD to “fill an international position.”

He didn’t specify the position but said he would start working as “the head of the group’s external relations and the development of new business lines “ starting Wednesday.

“I have submitted my resignation from my parliamentary mandate. The reason for this is that I have received an extremely honorable offer from one of the leading companies in the global economy to fill an international position, “ Szijjártó wrote.

“BYD is one of the biggest automotive success stories of the past 20 years and is also the world’s leading manufacturer of new energy vehicles, “ he added.

BYD signed a deal under former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to open its European factory in the country, when Szijjártó was serving as the top diplomat. The European factory would allow the carmaker to dodge EU tariffs.

Reuters reported in June that BYD’s Hungarian factory is expected to start production by the end of 2026 – a year later than initially expected.

Since Hungary launched its push to become a global EV manufacturing hub in 2022, Chinese firms have rapidly expanded their presence across the country.

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Orbán’s Hungary also shared close ties with Beijing before his ouster following the April 2026 elections. In 2023, Orbán said Budapest would be Beijing’s “trusted friend and partner “ in the EU while attending China’s Belt and Road Forum. In May 2024, Orbán hosted Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Budapest during the latter’s European tour.

Szijjártó was embroiled in a series of scandals before leaving office as the country’s top diplomat, notably over leaked calls with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

In one of the recordings, he was heard telling Lavrov, “I am always at your disposal, “ following his visit to St. Petersburg. In another, he was heard asking Russian Deputy Energy Minister Pavel Sorokin for assistance in developing arguments against EU sanctions on Russian oil, imposed as a result of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.

Szijjártó decried the leaked calls as “foreign interference.”

China is widely viewed as Russia’s chief enabler in its war against Ukraine, providing Moscow with economic and diplomatic support while pursuing its own regional ambitions, including the potential use of force against Taiwan.