Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao shakes hands with students of the Eotvos Lorand University in downtown Budapest, shortly after his arrival at the capital Friday. [Xinhua]

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Friday that the China-Hungary friendship and cooperation rely, after all, on the younger generation.

Wen made these impromptu remarks at a cultural exchange activity held in the Faculty of Humanities of the Eotvos Lorand University in downtown Budapest, shortly after his arrival at the capital.

The university is the largest and oldest institution of higher learning in Hungary. It now serves as a key place for teaching Chinese language.

Hungarian students from the university's Confucius Institute, a Chinese-Hungarian bilingual school and a martial art teaching center, performed Chinese folk songs and Tai Ji.

"The students' excellent performances have demonstrated their love for the Chinese culture and their friendship with the Chinese people," said the premier, adding that different cultures could learn from each other as they all have their own advantages.

He also presented Chinese books as gifts to the students.

Hungarian students expressed their willingness to expand exchanges with China's youth to promote mutual understanding and friendship.

Wen started his two-day official visit to Hungary earlier Friday, the first one to the central European nation by a Chinese premier in 24 years.

In a written speech delivered at the airport, Wen said Hungary was one of the first countries to forge diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China.

He also said Hungary, currently holding the rotating European Union (EU) presidency, had worked strenuously to help develop China-EU ties.