Treasures of Ancient China, a display of over 100 artworks including two life-size terracotta soldiers from the 3rd century BC, opened in Budapest on Friday.

Hungarian Human Resources Minister Zoltan Balog, Chinese ambassador Xiao Qian, Zhou Ming, the deputy director of organizing body Art Exhibitions China, and other guests attended the opening ceremony at the Budapest Museum of Applied Arts.

Balog said that the terracotta soldiers, recovered from the grave of China's first emperor, Qin Shihuang, send the message, "not only did we need to protect the present and future, we also had to protect the past, a common past".

"We came from the east, and we are heading westward but must never forget that we came from the east," Balog said. "Knowing this is important to Chinese-Hungarian friendship since culture can provide true content to business and other relations."

Xiao Qian said that contacts between China and Hungary had been advancing for the past 65 years. Today, China is Hungary's biggest trading partner outside the European Union with bilateral trade exceeding $9 billion dollars last year and Chinese businesses investing over 3 billion euros (about $3.4 billion) in Hungary.

"Culture is an important aspect of our bilateral relations," Xiao said. He hoped that the exhibition would enhance the Hungarian people's understanding of China, and contribute to strengthening friendship and cooperation between the two nations.

Zhou detailed the exhibition itself, saying that the artifacts on show ran from the Neolithic era to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), and offered an overview of Chinese history, religion and day-to-day life over the past 5,000 years.

The materials come from the Shaanxi History Museum, Nanjing Municipal Museum and Chengde Palace Museum. The exhibition will continue through April 19.