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Hungary China
In the late 1970s, Hungary began working toward better
relations with China. Trade and economic relations began
to
expand in 1983, followed by the improvement of interstate
relations and cultural ties. However, because of
ideological
differences, Hungarian-Chinese relations focused on
economic
ties. In 1985 the two countries signed a long-term foreign
trade
agreement to expand bilateral economic and trade
cooperation. The
two countries also agreed to exchange information on their
economic reform efforts. Imports from China rose from 0.6
percent
of Hungary's total in 1984 to 1.8 percent of the total in
1986.
Exports to China rose from 0.8 percent of the total to 1.9
percent of the total in that same period. Hungarians
participated
in several Chinese industrial development and
reconstruction
programs.
By 1982 both communist parties began to show an
interest in
resuming political relations. In 1985 the HSWP sent the
Chinese
Communist Party (CCP) the guidelines for its Thirteenth
Party
Congress. In return, the CCP sent a message to the "dear
comrades" of the HSWP, wishing the Hungarian people
success in
the building of socialism.
Political relations intensified in 1987. In June
Chinese
premier and acting general secretary of the CCP Zhao
Ziyang
visited Hungary. Kadar's visit to China in October 1987
marked
the resumption of party-to-party relations. The Chinese
praised
Hungary's reform program and called Kadar's visit
"historic"
because it symbolized a new era of friendship and
cooperation
between the two peoples.
Data as of September 1989
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