Building closer ties with Southeast Asia has a “great potential” for Hungarian businesses, Foreign Minister <person>Péter Szijjártó</person> said after talks with his Philippines counterpart in Budapest on Friday.

At a joint press conference with <person>Teodoro Lochin</person>, <person>Szijjártó</person> said that the Southeast Asian region’s economic boom and increased import demand offers great opportunities for the Hungarian economy.

At the talks, <person>Szijjártó</person> voiced Hungary’s solidarity with the Philippines over a recent terrorist attack by the Islamic State organisation on a Catholic church.

Lochin thanked Hungary for its assistance to Christian communities and advocating protection for those communities in the United Nations.