Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, on invitation visited the Buda Castle and had tea chat with Zsuzsanna Nagy, wife of Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok, in Budapest on Thursday.
The wives of the two heads of state appreciated the exhibition of Hungarian Herend porcelain and traditional embroidery craftsmanship.
Peng said she is impressed by the exquisite Hungarian porcelain and superb embroidery craftsmanship.
Porcelain and embroidery are common symbols of the civilizations of China and Hungary, Peng said, adding it is hoped that artists from both countries strengthen exchanges and mutual learning, and promote cultural integration.
The two listened to a briefing on the restoration of the Szent Istvan Hall of the Buda Castle.
Appreciating the exquisite restoration skills of Hungarian experts, Peng raised her hope that the two sides would strengthen cooperation in the protection and restoration of cultural relics, so that historical legacies could be better passed on.
Hungary is a beautiful country and its people are hospitable, Peng said during her friendly and cordial chat over tea with Nagy.
There are many similarities between the cultures of China and Hungary, and the two peoples share a deep sense of affinity, Peng said.
The friendship between the two countries has a solid foundation, she said, adding she hopes that the friendship between the two countries will be passed on from generation to generation and grow stronger over time.
Peng Liyuan visits Buda Castle with wife of Hungarian president
Peng Liyuan visits Buda Castle with wife of Hungarian president
As a city famous for its ice and snow tourism, Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, has a rich history of cultural exchanges between China and neighboring Russia.
The Saint Sophia Cathedral, a century-old Russian building and a famous Harbin landmark, is a symbol of the long history of exchanges and welcomes visitors from home and overseas. "This city is beautiful. Our first stop was to visit this Russian church. Putin has just visited China, which means China-Russia relations will get better and cooperation broader," said Ma Li, a tourist from central China's Wuhan City. "There are so many architecture details which are connected with Russia, for example, this church. I'm impressed," said Natalia Obukhov, a professor from Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University. "I'm here for the first time and I'm really impressed by history, by new buildings, by everything I see here," said Adnan Mujezinovic, a professor from University of Sarajevo. The squares, buildings, and galleries surrounding the church also showcase Russian-style architecture. In a gallery which displays a captivating collection of Russian paintings, matryoshka dolls, and various souvenirs, Manager Chen Limei provided insightful guidance on identifying high-quality dolls. "The well painted ones have collection value. This one has a storyline. You can see the details are well drawn, the patterns are layered, the color changes are gradual, not solid, and there is the artist's signature at the bottom," Chen said. Chen proudly introduced this gallery, which contains many paintings drawn by famous artists. She said it's not just a souvenir shop, but a corner of Harbin that promotes art.
Since China and Russia resumed visa-free group travel in August last year, Russia's Economic Development Ministry expected the flow of tourists between the two countries to reach pre-epidemic levels in 2025.
Earlier this month, the five-day 8th China-Russia Expo opened in Harbin, which is expected to play a role in enhancing trade and investment between the two countries.
Harbin serves as symbol of shared history between China, Russia
