On the morning of March 17th, Chinese Ambassador to Hungary H.E. Duan Jielong and his wife Li Bei paid a visit to Szeged for the very first time to attend the opening ceremony of the 2017 Szeged Chinese Film Festival hosted by the Confucius Institute at University of Szeged. Education division leader Wu Hua, director of the government affairs Cao Yuan and interpreter Gao Yanyang also accompanied the ambassador. During the visit, Ambassador Duan visited the City Hall and met with Mr. Botka László, mayor of Szeged. Mayor Botka extended a warm welcome to Ambassador and expressed his sincere gratitude to the Chinese government for the care and support to Szeged and hoped the Ambassador can visit the city of sunshine, Szeged more often in the future. Ambassador Duan briefed the Mayor on the development of China's economy and the advantages of “the Belt and Road” (the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road) for Sino-Hungarian cooperation. He said that the communication between China and Hungary are expanding and deepening and there is extensive cooperation with broad prospects in economy, trade and humanity areas. The Chinese Embassy is willing to act as a promoter for the further cooperation between Szeged and China and hope to work together to find new opportunities and highlights. After the meeting, the two sides took pictures in the City Hall.

During his visit to the University of Szeged, the Ambassador met with Mrs. Fendler Judit, Chancellor of the University of Szeged, and Mr. Szabó Gábor, Rector of the University of Szeged. The University leaders introduced the political, economic, educational advantages and the development of the University of Szeged to the Embassy delegation, and expressed their hope that Szeged and China will continue to carry out in-depth cooperation in education, tourism, economy and trade, and is willing to provide help and create conditions for Chinese investors. The ambassador pointed out that 2017 is the 67th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Hungary. The bilateral relations have witnessed a good momentum of development. Sino-Hungarian cooperation will sure be developed to broader areas and in higher level. Szeged is known for discovering Vitamin C and is known throughout the country as a ‘university city’. Hungary is a creative nation, which is inseparable from its educational institutions. He also expressed his expectation that more and more Chinese students come here to study in the future and realize the mutual exchange, interconnection and cohesion in talent field and by making progress together, learning from and helping each other, the friendship between China and Hungary will be strengthened and can last long.

In the afternoon, the ambassador met with more than 60 Chinese students at the University of Szeged, and Wu Hua had an interaction with the students on the topics of exchange students’ scholarships and livings overseas. The students at the University of Szeged took a photo in front of the main building of the Rector’s Office with the Ambassador. Then, the ambassador took a special trip to visit the Confucius Institute. He walked through every office, greeted and thanked all the teachers of the Confucius Institute for their hard work and cultural contribution. Ambassador Duan pointed out that Confucius Institute is an important link between China and other countries. He hopes that besides the dissemination of Chinese culture, teachers also need to improve themselves and become a better cultural communicator. Ambassador said that his delegation’s visit to the Confucius Institute is the affirmation of our work. The Embassy has paid great attention to the work of the Confucius Institute in the past and will further strengthen its support for the development of the Confucius Institutes in Hungary in the future. ‘The Embassy and the Confucius Institutes are the members of one family.’ Finally, the Ambassador, together with Mrs. Nagy Katalin, officiated at the opening ceremony of the fifth anniversary of the Confucius Institute at University of Szeged for 200 days. And all the public-school teachers and volunteer teachers of the Confucius Institute took a photo taken in the Confucius Institute classroom.

Subsequently, the Ambassador also came to the Faculty of Law of the university and met with Mrs. Karsai Krisztina, vice-chancellor of the University, Mr. Balogh Elemér, Dean of the Faculty of Law, Mr. Blutman László, international law expert, Mr. Varga Norbert, Director of the Gateway Program, Mr. Gulyás László, head of Chinese affairs at the Faculty and other experts and professors. Ambassador elaborated his legal work experience in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Law Department and recalled the early years’ study in law school. The Ambassador was pleased to accept the invitation of Prof. Dr. Balogh Elemér to come to the Faculty of Law at the appropriate time as a visiting professor and enthusiastically invited the fellow of the Faculty of Law to travel to the Embassy. After the forum, all the participants took a group photo in front of the historic law school.

Mrs. Nagy Katalin, Vice Rector of the University of Szeged and Chairman of the International Cooperation Council of the Hungarian Rectors’ Association, Mr. Zhang Lin, Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Szeged and Mr. Mohr Richárd, Hungarian Director of Confucius Institute at the University of Szeged, accompanied the Ambassador and his delegation to attend the meetings.