China’s stranglehold of Hungary enables tactics to silence dissidents

Under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Hungary has deepened ties with China, welcoming investments and security pacts that make it a hub for Beijing’s influence in Europe. This alignment has enabled China’s tactics to silence dissidents, as revealed by an incident at a February 2023 UN human rights conference in Geneva, Switzerland, where a Tibetan activist was targeted by a Chinese operative based in Budapest.

Tenzin Chokyi, head of the Tibetan government-in-exile’s Geneva office, was photographed by Ma Wenjun, president of a Budapest-based Chinese association, under the guise of a friendly encounter. Minutes later, Ma began filming the Tibetan delegation without consent in a public area, not violating UN rules.

After the UN intervention, Ma deleted the images but continued filming outside. According to a spokesperson for the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN deemed his actions “unacceptable” but took no further steps.

Ma, who claimed the incident was a “misunderstanding” and identified as a minority Muslim, is linked to China’s United Front Work Department, a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) structure monitoring critics abroad.

In Hungary, Ma heads the Sino-European Association for Culture, Art, and Sport, a government-organized NGO (GONGO) promoting Beijing’s influence. His ties to Hungarian officials, including Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó and former minister Zoltán Balog, highlight Hungary’s permissive environment.

Ma’s residency, granted through Hungary’s “golden visa” program (2013–2017), which offered Schengen access for €300,000 investments to about 2,700 Chinese nationals, enabled his activities.

This incident is reported as part of the “China Targets” investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and 42 global media partners, including Hungary’s Direkt36. Based on interviews with 105 dissidents across 23 countries, the project documents China’s transnational repression—surveillance, threats, and harassment of dissidents and their families.

Hungary’s alignment with China, driven by economic and political priorities, sets it apart in the EU and NATO. Major Chinese firms like BYD, building an electric vehicle factory in southern Hungary, and Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. (CATL) have invested heavily, supported by a €1 billion Chinese loan in Spring 2024.

This financial bonanza, amid EU tensions over frozen funds, secures contracts for Orbán-aligned oligarchs, reinforcing domestic loyalty. Projects like the Chinese-financed Budapest-Belgrade railway and Huawei partnerships entrench Hungary in China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Security cooperation raises further concerns. Agreements for joint police patrols, confirmed during a February 2024 visit by China’s Public Security Minister Wang Xiaohong, allow Chinese officers to monitor Chinese citizens on Hungarian streets – a rare move for a democratic state.

Discussions on “maintaining political stability” echo China’s authoritarian tactics.

Hungary’s extradition agreements with China, concluded in May 2024, risk targeting dissidents. Allegations of United Front attempts to influence Hungarian local politics suggest covert interference.

The “golden visa” program, criticised for lax oversight, enabled figures like Ma to conduct surveillance across Schengen countries. Hungary’s hosting of GONGOs, including 59 of 106 Chinese NGOs with UN consultative status linked to the CCP, boosts Beijing’s ability to harass activists at the UN.

Chinese diplomats have lobbied the UN since 2001 to block Tibetan and Uyghur critics, labelling them “secessionists,” according to a former UN officer.

Experts, including Basel University researchers, confirm that Tibetan activists face global surveillance, with photos used to pressure relatives in China. Freedom House’s 2025 report identifies China as the top perpetrator of transnational repression, with Hungary’s permissive environment enabling tactics like Ma’s filming. The ICIJ found China abuses Interpol’s red notices to pursue dissidents, often with Hungary’s acquiescence due to its alignment with Beijing.

Hungary’s geopolitical stance strains EU and NATO unity. Orbán’s government has resisted U.S. pressure to reduce China ties, with Economy Minister Márton Nagy affirming Beijing’s importance in April 2025.

Hungary’s blocking of EU sanctions against Russia and resistance to trade probes into Chinese subsidies isolate it within the EU, raising concerns about its reliability as an ally. Economic ties, including Huawei partnerships and BYD’s planned factory, deepen Hungary’s dependency, potentially creating a hub for Beijing’s influence in Europe.

China denies these allegations, with a Washington embassy spokesperson calling transnational repression claims “groundless slander.” However, experts like Oxford’s Edward Schwarck argue that under President Xi Jinping, China’s repression has intensified since 2012, targeting even minor critics abroad. Hungary’s cooperation, driven by economic pragmatism, risks normalizing authoritarian practices in a democratic state.

Hungary’s role as a facilitator of China’s tactics demands scrutiny. The ICIJ urges reforms to Interpol and UN mechanisms to curb abuses like red notice violations and GONGO interference. Democratic nations face pressure to strengthen protections for dissidents, while Hungary’s alignment with China challenges EU unity. As Orbán balances U.S., Chinese, and Russian ties, Hungary’s trajectory raises urgent questions about sovereignty and democratic integrity in Europe.

Sources: BGNES, ICIJ, Freedom House, edited by p.p.p.

Caption: Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, 8 July 2024. [EPA-EFE/XINHUA / Li Xueren]

Updated: May 6, 2025 - 15:16