At CPAC Hungary, Viktor Orban again shows his sympathy for Beijing and Moscow
Tom Rogan
Video Embed
Addressing a CPAC conference in Hungary on Thursday, Prime Minister Viktor Orban rallied the assembled conservatives.
They might not find much sympathy in Western media, but Orban’s views on migration, abortion, wokeness, homosexuality, and transgenderism earn him genuine support from many United States conservatives.
BLAMING US FOR KREMLIN ATTACK, RUSSIA POINTS FINGER AT ITSELF
Indeed, many prominent American conservatives, such as Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts were in attendance at this week’s CPAC-Hungary conference. Orban also remains popular at home, having won a landslide reelection in April 2022 against a unified opposition.
When it comes to national security policy, however, Orban’s speech once again reminded us that he is no reliable American ally.
As in 2022, the topic of China was very notably absent from Orbans’ long address. This is not surprising. Orban knows that many of the American conservatives in Budapest this week likely view China as the preeminent threat to the United States. They are right to do so.
Considering the very close links Orban has with Xi Jinping‘s government, he’d rather pretend China didn’t exist as long as the Americans are in town.
Orban has supported Chinese foreign policy interest in the European Union and undermined NATO efforts to address Beijing’s aggression. Orban clearly takes personal satisfaction in these efforts. It was only in February, after all, that Orban hosted the Chinese Communist Party’s foreign policy chief for a private dinner. The Chinese foreign ministry observed at the time that “Hungary is a good friend of China in Europe, and the two sides have respected, understood, and trusted each other and have forged deep friendship.”
Even Emmanuel Macron doesn’t get this kind of praise from Beijing.
Still, even if China was off the prompter, Orban’s CPAC speech did offer a hat tip to Russia.
In a very thinly veiled reference to Ukraine’s 2014 Maidan revolution, Orban warned against “colorful revolutions.” He continued, “They began with the slogan of freedom, continued with liberal-progressive re-education, human betterment, leaving behind chaos, confusion, and the shame of the countries left alone. I am sure that if Mr. President Trump were the President, no war would burden Ukraine and Europe today.”
This is a very pro-Russian take on the war in Ukraine.
Contrary to Moscow’s claims, the 2014 Ukrainian revolution was not the product of a U.S.-sponsored coup, but rather of a popular rejection of then-president Viktor Yanukovych’s breaking with the parliament’s ratification of an EU cooperation deal. Yanukovych was forced out of power after protesters responded to a violent crackdown by his security forces. But veiled warnings against “color revolutions” are a centerpiece of Moscow’s foreign policy narrative.
And now also, it seems, of China’s. On Friday, Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang called on nations to “oppose external forces meddling in regional affairs and staging ‘colour revolutions.'” Qin is using this rhetoric to demand support for China’s policy over Taiwan.
Regardless, by so plainly associating himself with this narrative, Orban again shows his sympathies are more with Vladimir Putin than they are with the NATO alliance of which he at least nominally remains a member.
It is understandable that American conservatives share Orban’s views on social policy and sympathize with his unashamed advocacy for those views. But let’s just hope the Americans in Budapest this week reminded Orban that China is not so peripheral a concern for their nation.