Chongqing - On Jan.21, Balint Czegel, the consul of the Consulate General of Hungary in Chongqing, said in a group interview after watching the live opening of the fourth session of the Fifth Chongqing Municipal People's Congress, that he wishes Budapest could become a "cousin" to the sister cities of Chengdu and Chongqing.
It was the first time for the Hungarian consul to sit in, with a dozen other foreign diplomats, on the city's most important political event, the Chongqing Two Sessions. The term in this year refers to the fourth session of the Fifth Chongqing Municipal Committee of the National People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the fourth session of the Fifth Chongqing Municipal People's Congress.
"I came here because I really wanted to know the secrets behind Chongqing's economic success in 2020, especially at a time when most of the world's major economies posted negative economic results," said Balint.
Unlike previously when the delegation of foreign consuls and consuls-general would be able to participate in the Chongqing Two Sessions at the Chongqing Great Hall of the People, this year's event only provided limited access to the venue, leaving foreign diplomats like Balint to watch the live opening meetings via video link.
The Hungarian consul also said that he took particular interest in many of the issues discussed in the Chongqing Government Work Report because "Chongqing and Hungary share a lot of similarities in economic structure and geographic location."
The Yuxinou International Railway Corridor's introduction has greatly helped cut the logistics and transport costs between the two countries, which could boost the city to become a new international inland logistics hub, Balint added.
He also spoke highly of the master plan of constructing the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle, which could help further integrate the cultural, industrial, and financial resources in western China.
"As demonstrated by the economic circle's Chinese name, Chengdu and Chongqing are of a 'twin cities' or 'sister cities' relationship," said the Hungarian consul. "I wish Budapest could also become somewhat a 'cousin cities' relationship with Chengdu and Chongqing."