Zhang Gong (R), mayor of Tianjin, and László Papp, mayor of Debrecen, sign an agreement to establish official sister city ties on Sept 26. [Photo/Tianjin News]

Zhang Gong, mayor of Tianjin, and László Papp, mayor of Debrecen, Hungary, signed an agreement to establish official sister city ties at Tianjin Guest House last month.

During their meeting, Zhang said China-Hungary relations are currently at an all-time high, with deepening ties between Tianjin and Debrecen. He highlighted Tianjin's role as one of northern China's earliest coastal cities to open up, strategically positioned to benefit from the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

Tianjin's strengths in transportation, industrial infrastructure, and science and technology resources were noted, and Zhang expressed Tianjin's commitment to expanding cooperation in areas such as trade, education, healthcare and tourism. He stressed that these efforts would promote mutual benefits and shared growth.

Papp provided an overview of Debrecen, acknowledging the long-standing friendship between China and Hungary, especially as 2023 marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. He voiced optimism about enhancing cooperation in trade, investment, culture, education and tourism to further elevate relations between the two cities.