Hungary can be a cultural bridge between China and Europe.

That's the word from Csaba Kael, general manager of Budapest's renowned Palace of Arts, or Muveszetek Palotaja (MUPA) in Hungarian.

"Among all the European nations, Hungary has a particular sympathy with the East," Kael said in a recent interview with Xinhua. "As well as the many big-name (Chinese) performers we have had here at MUPA, we have also regularly hosted Chinese New Year celebrations."

Ensembles, such as the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra and Beijing Symphonic Orchestra, have wowed Budapest audiences, while renowned pianists Chen Sa and Lang Lang have also performed in the city.

MUPA's international relations manager, Gabor Palfi, said he is keen to develop the Chinese connection.

"We are aware of the exceptionally strong cultural potential that China has. We would love to see more Chinese artists taking the stage soon at MUPA," Palfi said.

The 1,700-seat MUPA was founded in 2005 and immediately picked up numerous awards for its modern architecture. These days, Kael said, MUPA has positioned itself in the elite club of top world performing arts venues, like Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center in New York, and the South Bank Center in London.

Artists at MUPA are considering inviting more Chinese violinists and pianists to Budapest, Palfi said. He also hoped that the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra and Chen Sa would soon come again.

The Hong Gang Philharmonic Orchestra, the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra and the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra are also on MUPA's wish-list, together with non-classical ensembles, such as the New Purple Forbidden City Orchestra, and the Shanghai Jazz Band, he said.

Not just performers are welcomed in Budapest, Kael said.

"We hope that if Budapest develops as a gateway to Europe from the East, more and more Chinese people will travel here," Kael said. "Budapest can be more than a bridge to travel through but a place to stay for a while, and enjoy the local culture, gastronomy, wine, and thermal baths."

The Central European country, which holds the six-month rotating presidency of the European Union until the end of June, boasts a long and proud musical heritage. It has produced a number of classical music luminaries during the past 200 years, including Bela Bartok, Zoltan Kodaly, and Franz Liszt.

Budapest, a city with 2 million residents, has eight orchestras and is home to the world-famous Franz Liszt Music Academy and a stunningly ornate opera house.

"Budapest has fantastically rich cultural programs. It's one of the world's most exciting cities in this respect," Kael said. "Hungary is also a world leader in music education. We have many students from the Far East studying here."

However, in a global climate of cuts in state funding to the arts, venues like MUPA are having to explore new avenues of funding for expensive shows.

Co-productions, where two or often more partner companies jointly organize a cultural product, are proving an increasingly successful way to handle the stress of economic cutbacks.

"China is a dynamically developing economy, which is leading to an increase in money being spent on culture," Kael said. "More and more performing arts centers like MUPA are opening, and we would be happy to put on co-productions with them."

He said that while lots of performers have been shown at MUPA, now it wants to make co-productions.

"China can be very important in this respect for us," Kael said.