An interview with the Hungarian ambassador to China
Chinese People are Friendly and Optimistic

Mr. Bai Mingyi, the ambassador of The Republic of Hungary to China, was interviewed by our reporters in Beijing in the morning of 3rd March, 2000.

Reporter: Mr. Ambassador, you have been in China for more than half a year. As a diplomat from Europe, what is your deepest impression about China and the Chinese culture?

Ambassador: I've been in China for seven months. I haven't been here before. Although this is my first time here, I'd known about it in general before. People pay relatively close attention to China in Hungary. In early times, when I was a university student, I studied Chinese history. I also got in touch with lots of Chinese diplomats in my former career. This time, before I came to China, I specially did some more research in Budapest. After arriving here, I gained more and direct knowledge with the help of my colleagues. Of course, my knowledge about China is far less than enough. China and Hungary are different in geographical positions and cultural backgrounds. In addition, the ways they chose to go in the past hundreds of years were different. It's not so easy to learn about this country deeper and broader. China is a country with such a vast territory, long history and deep culture that one might need to make efforts in his whole lifetime to know about it deeply. As an ambassador, I of course wish to learn about this country as much as I can.
With regard to impression about China, I think one of the most impressive things is travelling in China. It's quite interesting. I find some post-modern architectural designs here. There are many buildings gave me this kind of feeling in Pudong, Shanghai. However, Dunhuang and Mogao Grotto left totally different impressions, which reveal a distant source and a long stream of Chinese culture. These are two different sides.

I find that the design of architectures in China is well planed to coordinate to their surroundings. I've been many countries in the world and viewed a great deal of very modern architectures in most of those countries. But few of them can do better than China in this aspect. The progress of modernization in China is very fast. Despite the boom of modern high mansions, is monotone well avoided in terms of design. There is a harmony between construction and the environment. Of course, coming from Budapest, I also feel that the number of remained ancient architectures is few. In Budapest, ancient architectures are preserved fairly well.

Reporter: You mentioned that you got in touch with some Chinese diplomats before. After coming to China, you must meet more Chinese people. Would you please say something about them?
Ambassador: Chinese people give me good impressions. They are friendly and optimistic. As long as you treat them sincerely, they will show you the same sincerity, or even more heartily. They do what they say. They rather keep their promises. They do their best to fulfil things, since words have been said are promises. Not only Chinese officials but also common people are kindly. When I meet people walking in the street, I find they are polite and friendly. Therefore, I have been living in a satisfactory atmosphere since I settled in Beijing, and I seldom encounter with difficulties in work.

I also have a good impression of the Chinese diplomats that I know. Before coming to China, I had been appointed diplomat in countries of Near East and Middle East. I got along well with Chinese diplomats in those countries. For instance, in Yemen, I had a good relationship with Chinese diplomats in work, and we were private friends as well. What is more, I also have a good relationship with former Chinese ambassador to Hungary, Mr. Chen Guoyan. Although he is retired, we still keep in touch, and sometimes have dinner together. We have no working relationship now, but we are good private friends.

Reporter: It has been 50 years since China and Hungary established diplomatic relations. How do you think about the future of this relation at the beginning of the new century?

Ambassador: I think the relation between China and Hungary is very stable and friendly, and the development of this relation is smooth and steady. Especially since 90's, the relation between the two countries has developed steadily along with China's reform and opening. This development is very well and we have signed a series of bilateral agreements. These agreements do not only give expression to the common understandings and wills of China and Hungary, but also ensure and promote the good development of the relation between the two countries in the form of law. In addition, there is another important point, that is China and Hungary now pay much attention to how to improve the good relations between two countries. We can expect good prospects of the relation.

Certainly, economy and trade cooperation is an important aspect of the relation between the two countries. The economic and trade relations between the two countries fall behind the political relation nowadays. From our point of view, we hope further development in two aspects: one is to reduce unfavourable balance of trade and enlarge the export to China; the second is to increase investment to the other side.

Hungary is going to join the European Union. This provides an ideal environment for investors. China has some investments in Hungary now, but not so much. We hope that more and more Chinese enterprises and entrepreneurs will invest in Hungary, not only in commercial and service industries, but in manufacturing as well. As I know, the Chinese government encourages its enterprises to invest abroad. With the respect of both countries' wills, it is very important to increase the amount of investments to the other side. This is directly related to steady development of the economic cooperation relation between the two countries.

I know many overseas Chinese in Hungary are successful in these years. Their diligence is well received by the Hungarians. I hope they will make more investments in Hungary.

The prospect of our cooperation in economy is promising because it is now in a good atmosphere to develop friendly relation between two countries. This kind of atmosphere must improve the development of economic cooperation. Therefore, we both sides should make more efforts to promote this economic cooperation. Although there are many difficulties, the essential conditions exist.

During the interview, the ambassador also answered some questions about the interchange of the Chinese and Hungarian cultures.