The melody of songs, recital of poems and practice of calligraphy, all in standard Mandarin, marveled visiting top Chinese officials and Hungarian dignitaries during an art performance by hundreds of students at the Hungarian-Chinese Bilingual School in Budapest on June 19.

Joy and laughter marked a highlight of the Chinese delegation, led by Liu Yandong, vice-premier of China's State Council, who is on a high-profile trip to the Central European country to consolidate China-Central and Eastern European Countries people-to-people exchanges.

The school was established in 2004 and is now the only public school in the Central and Eastern European region offering a 12-year education taught in both Hungarian and Chinese Mandarin.

Summing up the school's previous achievements, such as the 1,000 Mandarin-speaking graduates, Liu said: "The bilingual school is unique and essential, both in terms of teaching method and the role it has played in meeting the demand of Hungarian youth to learn and experience Chinese language and culture."

Fekete Marcell Zoltan, 15, who is currently a 9th grader, said learning Chinese at the school has made him a big fan of Chinese culture.

"I know I must work really hard then I can apply to a Chinese university," he said with perfect Beijing-based Mandarin. "I want to work in China and buy a house there too. I want to live in China."

Liu said leaders of China and Hungary have shown great attention to the overall development of the school, which now offers a Mandarin-based education from elementary school to junior high, covering the 12 years of early education.