BEIJING — State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on March 7 held a phone conversation with Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto at the latter's request.

Thanking China for its efforts to achieve peace in Europe and avoid further escalation of the situation in Ukraine, Szijjarto said that Hungary is ready to help Chinese nationals in Ukraine evacuate and return to their homeland. He also voiced hope for a higher level of mutually beneficial cooperation between Hungary and China.

For his part, Wang said that for China, the situation in Ukraine is regrettable, adding he hoped that the European Union can uphold the spirit of strategic autonomy and play a more proactive role in resolving the current Ukrainian crisis and building an European security mechanism in the next step.

Noting that one of the most important tasks for the Chinese government at present is to guarantee the safety of Chinese nationals in Ukraine, Wang thanked the Hungarian side for providing convenience and assistance to Chinese nationals for their smooth evacuation, adding it embodies the good tradition of China and Hungary supporting and helping each other.

China highly appreciates the Hungarian government's long-term friendly policy towards China and will continue to support the deepening of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries for more results, said the Chinese diplomat. He also wishes the Hungarian people to continue forging ahead on the path of their own choice and achieve greater achievements.