Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (C) poses for a group photo with students and teachers after attending a cultural exchange activity at the Eotvos Lorand University in Budapest, Hungary, June 24, 2011. [Xinhua]

"I believe this visit will boost mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, deepen bilateral exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation, and push for further development of the friendly and cooperative partnership between China and Hungary," Wen said.

With an area of less than 100,000 square kilometers, Hungary is a landlocked central European nation with a population of about 10 million.

It is one of China's most important trading partners in Central and Eastern Europe. Bilateral trade reached a record high of 8.72 billion U.S. dollars last year, up 28.1 percent on the previous year.

Hungary is the first leg of Wen's current three-nation Europe tour, which will also take him to Britain and Germany.

According to China's Foreign Ministry, Wen's visit to the three European countries is primarily aimed at boosting communication and cooperation.

"Premier Wen's visit to Europe will be an important diplomatic mission this year, aiming at promoting communication and cooperation," Vice Foreign Minister Fu Ying told reporters in Beijing last week.

Wen's trip to Hungary will focus on lifting substantive cooperation, Fu said, adding that he will hold talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Orban Viktor and meet with other Hungarian leaders.

Wen and Viktor will attend a trade forum for China and central and eastern Europe, where Wen will put forward China's proposal to deepen cooperation with the two regions, Fu said.

After Hungary, Wen will fly to Britain for his fourth visit to the country. Wen will hold talks with British Prime Minister David Cameron and inspect several China-Britain cooperative projects.