Young people bridge cultural ties as China-Hungary bonds deepen

Tihanyi Istvan, a Hungarian national, is the founder of a wine and coffee shop in Heping district of north China's Tianjin Municipality. A graduate of Tianjin University, he also manages an import and export company along with the store.

Apart from his work, Istvan is also married into a local Tianjin family. Having lived in China for over a decade, he has fully adapted to life in the country and has even learned to speak Tianjin's local dialect.

"When people find out that I'm from Hungary and learn about where Hungary is and what it's like, they are actually very happy. They would say, 'Hungarian people, they are good.' It feels good to have these kinds of expressions in China," Istvan said.

When talking about his future work and life in China, Istvan said, "I hope I can be the bridge between Hungary and China. I hope I can help people in China to know Hungary better. Our relationship will become closer, closer, and closer."

At Beijing International Studies University (BISU), about 100 kilometers away, a growing number of young people are dedicated to promoting China-Hungary friendship.

Duan Shuangxi, a Hungarian language instructor at BISU, previously spent eight years in Budapest, Hungary's capital. His teaching approach encompasses reading, news analysis, and exploring China-Hungary relations. Despite the language's complexity, Duan finds Hungarian to be a captivating and charming language.

"The number of Chinese companies investing in Hungary has been increasing. The rapid progress in bilateral ties creates a significant demand for language talents proficient in Hungarian and who understand Hungary well," said Duan.

So far, Duan has mentored more than 120 students, including Nie Yuan, who has been studying Hungarian at BISU for two years.

"I am deeply interested in Hungary. Through my Hungarian studies, I hope to visit Hungary one day and see what it really looks like, get to know its people, and experience its culture," Nie said.

Over the past two years, Nie has observed a surge of renowned Chinese companies making significant investments in Hungary and establishing local operations.

"If given the opportunity after graduation, I aspire to work at these Chinese companies' branch offices in Hungary. This would allow me to facilitate further contact and cooperation between China and Hungary," Nie expressed.

With the increasing people-to-people exchanges between China and Hungary, the sophomore has also witnessed the deepening friendship between the two nations. Nie stated, "In the future, I see myself not only as a participant in cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries, but also as a bridge for helping Chinese and foreigners communicate with each other.”