In a surprise move, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán embarked on a diplomatic mission to China, following his recent trips to Russia and Ukraine in an effort to find a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict. Aptly termed "Peace Mission 3.0", Orbán shared a picture on social media showing him disembarking his plane in Beijing, where he was warmly received by Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Hua Chunying and other officials.

During his visit, Orbán had a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, as reported by state broadcaster CCTV. In a Facebook post, Orbán emphasized that the resolution of the war in Ukraine hinges upon the decisions made by three global powers, namely the United States, the European Union, and China.

This is not the first meeting between Orbán and Xi; they had met just two months ago when the Chinese leader visited Hungary as part of a European tour that included stops in France and Serbia. Unlike the latter two countries, Serbia is neither a member of the European Union nor NATO. Hungary, under Orbán's leadership, has established strong political and economic ties with China. The country hosts various Chinese electric vehicle battery facilities, and in December, it was announced that Chinese EV manufacturing giant BYD will open its first European EV production factory in southern Hungary.

Orbán's unexpected visit to China follows his recent trips to Moscow and Kyiv, where he proposed an immediate cease-fire between Ukraine and Russia. However, this move drew condemnation from Kyiv and European leaders. Orbán underscored Hungary's position as a unique intermediary, stating, "The number of countries that can talk to both warring sides is diminishing. Hungary is slowly becoming the only country in Europe that can speak to everyone."

Assuming the rotating presidency of the European Union in July, Orbán's visit to Moscow led to speculations that he was acting as a top representative of the European Council, an assertion dismissed by several European officials who claimed that his mandate extended only to discussing bilateral relations.

Orbán's inclination towards fostering friendly relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin has led him to block, delay or dilute the European Union's efforts to support Ukraine and impose sanctions on Moscow. While Orbán has consistently called for an end to hostilities in Ukraine, he has refrained from stating the conditions for such a resolution, leaving Hungary's EU and NATO allies frustrated. These allies view Russia's actions as a violation of international law and a threat to Eastern European countries' security.

Prime Minister Orbán's visit to China adds another dimension to his diplomatic efforts as he seeks to bring together key global players in order to find a peaceful settlement to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.