3 December 2013, Biatorbágy
Your Excellency Mr. Ambassador, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen,
According to and old and concise Hungarian saying, he who dares, wins. The reason we can be here together today is that for a while now, Hungary has once again been listening to this old piece of wisdom. I am happy that we, the Hungarians, have finally understood that everyone can only win as much as they dare, and have also understood and learned that those who do not dare, lose.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It wasn't too long ago when the Hungarians still listened to those – because this feeling also exists among the natural instincts of Hungarians – who said that we should not bite off more than we can chew, that we should not be too daring, that we should dare to be small. And we became just that. As a result of the European crisis, we became increasingly small and increasingly weak. Then in 2010 – at the very last moment as regards the history of the Hungarian economy, in my view – we shook ourselves, and as if awakening from a stale, bad dream, we said: he who dares, wins. Thanks to this, Ladies and Gentlemen, there are new winds blowing in Hungary today, and there are new winds in the sails of Hungarian economic policy; and not just Westerly winds, but Easterly winds also. In Hungary, we have finally become self-confident again, and we dare to attempt great feats. We cooperate with large corporations and with large countries, and even forge alliances with them. There are newer and newer results and positive reports every week, such as today's event, which of course require a lot of hard work both on our part and on the part of those who are our partners and who cooperate with us.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
To mention only a recent event, last week we signed an agreement with your head of Government, the Prime Minister of China, and with the Prime Minister of Serbia on the modernisation of the Budapest-Belgrade rail line. I could also mention the agreement between the Chinese and Hungarian central banks, but at least as important is the fact that the headquarters of the Central European Chinese cultural institutes will be established here in Budapest, as will the Central European tourism centre. Practically speaking, we have developed a cooperation with China that will assure economic and cultural relations between China and the Central European region for many years to come. I would like to relay my thanks to China for this through His Excellency the Ambassador. As far as today's event is concerned, Ladies and Gentlemen, as we have already heard, when the then Deputy Premier, now Premier of China was here in Hungary in 2012, we had the opportunity of concluding the agreement which has resulted in the realisation of this development project. The logistics centre we are inaugurating here today represents another step towards closer cooperation. As you have heard, the area of this new centre is 30,000 square metres and its capacity is 3,000 trucks per month. Once production is running at high capacity, the company plans to fulfil all of its European export requirements from Hungary. As a result of this expansion, Hungary has become Huawei's second largest supply centre in the world, in addition becoming one of the key regions of the company's investments outside of Asia. We have every reason to be proud of this.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would be glad if, in addition to recalling the diplomatic efforts put into the realisation of this project, you do not forget the fact that this centre in Biatorbágy has primarily been realised thanks to those Hungarian people who, through their outstanding work, were able to convince Huawei that it is worth investing here in Hungary. Diplomatic efforts are important and the financial background of development projects is also of importance, but there is only any point in discussing these matters if investors believe that Hungary has a highly trained workforce who can and want to work, and who are capable of cooperating with them to manufacture the required products and the required profit.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The opening of this new logistics centre, as His Excellency the Ambassador has already mentioned, is also an indication of the company's commitment towards Hungary and the Hungarian people. According to plans, Huawei will double the number of people it directly and indirectly employs by 2015, meaning the number of people in employment will increase to around 3500. In addition, Ladies and Gentlemen, let us not forget that this is a very special company. A company in which research and development enjoys a position of primary importance. Huawei has sixteen development centres worldwide and 70 thousand out of the company's total staff of 150 thousand, practically every second employee, is involved in research and development. We would like to be too. The company's President gave us the opportunity to hold bilateral talks prior to today's inauguration ceremony, at which I told him that we would also like Hungary to be the home to the company's next innovation centre. I know that there is still much to be done to achieve this, but I would be very pleased if Huawei's map could also include Hungary in this respect. It is my firm belief, Ladies and Gentlemen, that in the land of [Hungarian inventor] Tivadar Puskás, we will be able to find a suitable background for investment projects of this nature.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would also like to mention the fact that Huawei has begun to reinforce its ranks among Hungarian engineers; it launched its own scholarship programme a few years ago and has already supported the university education of 75 young Hungarians.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On the part of Hungary what I can tell you is that today, we can safely say what would have seemed a boastful and pompous statement only a few years ago, but which today we can state without any qualms, but of course with suitable modesty, namely that anyone who invests in Hungary is building on firm foundations. During the past three years we have succeeded in laying the foundations of a competitive Hungarian industry, of a modern, competitive Hungarian industry. And the figures that show a renewed economic growth indicate that our plans have come to fruition. The budget deficit has never been this low, and neither has the level of inflation, while Hungarian exports are soaring. And in addition, we are one of very few countries who have been capable of continuously reducing government debt since the beginning of the European crisis, and in fact despite the crisis. Wages have also finally begun to increase and employment has also reached record highs.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is clear that achievements such as this don't just fall into countries' laps. We have had to work incredibly hard for every success, all ten million Hungarians. The first and most important change in recent years, Ladies and Gentlemen, was a change in economic policy, during the course of which we began, as we like to call it, the reindustrialisation of Hungary. The second important change to bring success involves the new direction of Hungarian foreign policy, which we call Opening to the East. And just so everyone is fully aware of the task ahead, today, 11 percent of Hungarian exports go to non-European countries. For Hungary to stand on two pillars and have balanced foreign trade relations, we must, and it is my belief that we can increase the current ratio of 11 percent to one third, that is to 33 percent by 2018. So by 2018, we would like 33 percent of Hungarian exports to go to countries that are located outside the European continent.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The European crisis has unmercifully revealed that only an economic house of cards can be built without work, production and industry; An economic house of cards that can easily be blown away by the wind from one moment to the next. This is why Hungary stepped onto the path of reindustrialisation in 2010.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
This company is a Chinese company, and the persistent work of the people of China has realised an economic miracle over just a few decades before our very eyes. It is our view that Chinese economic policy, which builds on production and labour, is an example to all countries who wish to take their fate into their own hands following the crisis. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the People's Republic of China on these achievements, and to especially express our congratulations on the fact that you have succeeded in lifting so many people out of poverty and up to the level of the middle class within such a historically unparalleled, short period of time.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
To us, it would seem that only those who are keeping their eyes closed on purpose are not doing business with China and with Chinese corporations. It is my belief that only those countries will remain afloat and can become the winners of the post-crisis world, who are open towards China, and in which Chinese companies are present. I would like to inform you of the fact that we have succeeded in significantly improving our trade balance this yeas, and the level of Chinese capital investment was also significant, reaching 2.8 billion dollars.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Since its founding, Huawei has become a company that is partner to 45 out of the world's 50 leading mobile service providers. If we do a quick calculation we will find that this is equivalent to roughly 90 percent market coverage. According to estimates, this means that one third of the Earth's population is indirectly or directly linked to the company's products.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
This means that the investment project we are celebrating today has been realised by a company whose prospects and opportunities for development are huge on a global scale, and we trust that if the Hungarian workforce and the Hungarian Government prove to be dependable partners, then Hungary can also be part of this global development.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
He who dares, wins. In this case, we have both dared: Hungary has dared to open towards industrialisation and the East, while You, Chinese investors, have dared to invest here in Hungary, and it is my firm belief that we will both, mutually win as a result. Congratulations on this investment and I wish you further success in the future.
Thank you for your kind attention.
(Prime Minister’s Office)
