How Viktor Orbán plays China: the hidden agency of ‘China’s best friend in the EU’

China’s increasing international presence has led many observers to discuss how it has allegedly influenced other countries to take positions beneficial to China’s interest. Hungary has earned a reputation as the ‘China’s best friend in the EU’, following years of siding with China on politically sensitive issues, high-profile visits, and uncritical wooing of the Chinese investments. While Hungary has been discussed as a prime example of a country under ‘Chinese influence’, this article argues that it is Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán who has been driving Hungary-China relationship. Although we recognise the role of China’s structural power, we propose that Hungarian domestic politics—particularly the leader’s worldview and his domestic political agenda—is fundamental in understanding Hungary-China relations. We suggest that the case of Hungary is crucial for understanding the agency of small states vis-à-vis China as it represents a country taking China-favourable positions in a high-profile fashion, yet even these can be explained by focusing on the agency of Hungary and its leader. The paper is based on 28 interviews with Hungarian policymakers, academics, and businesspeople, and complemented with the analysis of official documents and secondary literature.