On October 16th, Gao Xiang, president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), met with Orbán Balázs, the Political Director of the Hungarian Prime Minister, and his delegation at CASS in Beijing.

CASS President Gao Xiang meets with Orbán Balázs, the Political Director of the Hungarian Prime Minister at CASS in Beijing. Photo: Zhu Gaolei/CSSN

Gao Xiang welcomed the visit of Orbán Balázs and his delegation, expressing his hope that this visit would further promote exchanges and cooperation between CASS and academic institutions in Europe, particularly in Hungary. Gao stressed that people-to-people and cultural exchanges are an integral part of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Hungary. CASS is actively engaged in academic cooperation with Hungarian think tanks and research institutions. In 2017, CASS established the China-CEE Institute in Budapest, Hungary, which aims to promote academic exchanges between China and Central and Eastern European countries.

CASS is willing to conduct a diverse range of people-to-people and cultural exchanges with Hungarian think tanks and higher education institutions, aiming to expand cooperation in people-to-people exchanges, academic research, and talent development in philosophy and social sciences. The goal is to consolidate public support for Hungary-China relations and enhance mutual understanding and communication between the two peoples, Gao said.

Orbán Balázs affirmed that Hungary and China enjoy a profound friendship and a solid foundation for cooperation. Both countries aspire to a peaceful and mutually respectful world order, as well as mutually beneficial economic cooperation, and are committed to the path of peaceful development. Hungarian think tanks and universities will continue to strengthen people-to-people exchanges and communication with CASS in order to discuss the current international situation and jointly explore future academic cooperation.

Gao Xiang and Orbán Balázs also exchanged views on China’s development, the Chinese path to modernization, China’s foreign relations, and so on.