Ex-Hungarian top diplomat joins Chinese BYD to lead external relations

Former Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has announced that he is stepping down as a member of the national parliament after accepting a senior international position at Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD.

Szijjártó said he had submitted his resignation from parliament after receiving what he described as a prestigious offer from one of the world's leading companies.

"I have submitted my resignation as a member of parliament. The reason for this was receiving a highly prestigious offer to take up an international position at one of the key companies in the global economy. BYD is one of the most remarkable examples of success in the automotive industry over the past 20 years and a leading global manufacturer of new energy vehicles," Szijjártó wrote on Facebook.

He said his new role at BYD would involve overseeing the group's external relations and the development of new business areas.

The Chinese automaker has established its first European electric vehicle production facility in the Hungarian city of Szeged, Csongrád-Csanád County, as part of its expansion into the European market.

Szijjártó served as Hungary's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade from September 2014. After the Fidesz–Hungarian Civic Alliance party lost the parliamentary elections on April 12, 2026, he continued serving as a member of parliament before announcing his resignation.

By Vafa Guliyeva