BUDAPEST - A commemorative sheet of postage stamps celebrating the upcoming Chinese New Year, the Year of the Snake, was unveiled on Tuesday at the China Cultural Center in Budapest, Hungary.

The stamps were issued by the Hungarian Post in collaboration with the Chinese Embassy in Hungary, Hungary's Ministry for National Economy, and the China Cultural Center in Budapest.

The sheet, featuring four stamps designed by Hungarian-Chinese graphic artist Hu-Yang Kamilla, will be printed in a limited run of 20,000 copies. The design incorporates a red-and-yellow color scheme with two intricately drawn red snakes on a yellow backdrop and another pair of yellow snakes on a red backdrop. The title "Year of the Snake - 2025" appears in both Chinese and Hungarian.

"The Wood Snake, featured in my design, symbolizes wisdom and knowledge, while wood primarily represents growth. These qualities were the essence I aimed to convey in the stamp," Hu-Yang explained to Xinhua.

Chinese Ambassador to Hungary Gong Tao emphasized the cultural and economic significance of the occasion. "In Chinese culture, the snake symbolizes wisdom and wit, predicting good fortune and success," he said during the ceremony.

Gong also noted the growing interest of Chinese companies in investing in Hungary, with the country remaining China's top investment destination in Central and Eastern Europe. He highlighted that China aims to maintain its position as Hungary's largest foreign investor in 2025.

Hungarian Deputy State Secretary for State Assets Geza Lang reflected on the successful collaboration between the two countries. He noted that Hungarian Post launched the Chinese zodiac stamp series in 2014, with each installment commemorating the Chinese New Year. The Year of the Snake marks the twelfth and final edition of the series.

Despite the series concluding, Lang expressed Hungary's eagerness to continue its cooperation with China in similar cultural initiatives.