'New starting point' for 75-year ties

President Xi says that China-Hungary relationship 'now at its best in history'

When President Xi Jinping arrived at Budapest Airport on Wednesday night for a state visit to Hungary, he received a bouquet of flowers from Tamara Olah, a 21-year-old woman who had presented him with flowers 15 years ago during the then vice-president's trip to the country.

"She was only 6 years old back then, and now she has become a young woman. It was touching to me because her growth from a child to a beautiful young woman symbolizes the growth of the friendship between China and Hungary," Xi said during talks with Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok on Thursday.

The friendship became even more mature on Thursday as the two countries decided to elevate their ties to new heights into an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership for the new era.