The Chinese EV Gateway: How Hungary Became Beijing’s Bridgehead Into Europe

Hungary has become China’s main gateway into the EU for EV and battery manufacturing, anchored by CATL’s €7.3 billion gigafactory in Debrecen and BYD’s Szeged car plant, supported by massive Chinese investment and strategic infrastructure such as the Budapest–Belgrade railway. This alignment, central to Viktor Orbán’s “Eastern Opening,” positions Hungary against Brussels’ tariff approach and offers economic gains but carries risks of over-dependence, EU scrutiny, and project delays.