On the evening of May 8, 2024 local time, President Xi Jinping arrived in Budapest on special plane for a state visit to Hungary at the invitation of Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

Hungarian Air Force sent two fighter jets to escort Xi Jinping's plane after it entered the country's airspace.

Xi Jinping was warmly welcomed by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his wife, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, and other senior government officials when his special plane arrived at Budapest International Airport. The leaders of the two countries and their spouses warmly shook hands and exchanged greetings, and Prime Minister Orbán presented flowers to Professor Peng Liyuan. The honor guard lined up in salutation on both sides of the red carpet. Two Hungarian children dressed in traditional costumes presented bread and salt to President Xi Jinping and his wife, welcoming the esteemed guests with traditional courtesy. The students from the Hungarian-Chinese bilingual school presented flowers to President Xi Jinping and his wife and said in Chinese "Welcome to Hungary." The young children performed the lively traditional Hungarian dance, Csárdás, to express the warmest welcome to Xi Jinping. 

Xi Jinping delivered a written statement. He pointed out that he was delighted to pay a state visit to the beautiful country of Hungary at the gracious invitation of President Tamás Sulyok and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. China and Hungary are good friends and good partners of mutual trust. In recent years, the two sides have seen frequent high-level exchanges, deepening mutual trust, fruitful outcomes in Belt and Road cooperation, vibrant people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and close coordination and collaboration in international and regional affairs. Together, the two countries have set a fine example of building a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation. This year marks the 75th anniversary of China-Hungary diplomatic relations, bringing an important opportunity for the growth of bilateral relations. Xi Jinping said he looked forward to meeting with President Tamás Sulyok, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and other Hungarian leaders to jointly draw up a new blueprint for cooperation and development, with a view to steering the China-Hungary relationship forward to a higher level. Xi expressed the belief that no matter how the international landscape evolves, China and Hungary will always view and approach the bilateral relationship from a broad perspective and a long-term view, and will make vigorous and determined efforts toward the goal of building a community with a shared future for mankind, and to make due contributions to world peace, stability, development and prosperity. Xi said he was confident that, with the two sides' concerted efforts, the visit will be a complete success and usher in an even brighter future of the China-Hungary relationship."

Madame Peng Liyuan, wife of President Xi Jinping, Cai Qi, Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and other members of the entourage arrived on the same plane.

Chinese Ambassador to Hungary Gong Tao also greeted the delegation at the airport.

When President Xi Jinping's motorcade drove from the airport to the hotel, hundreds of overseas Chinese living and studying in Hungary gathered along the streets to warmly welcome President Xi Jinping by waving the national flags of China and Hungary and holding banners that read "Long Live China-Hungary Friendship" and "Warmly Welcome President Xi Jinping to Hungary for a Visit."