BUDAPEST, Jan. 16 -- A commemorative postage stamp marking the Chinese Lunar New Year (2023, Year of the Rabbit) was issued here on Monday.

The stamp was issued by Hungary's Stamp Museum in collaboration with the Chinese Embassy in Hungary, the country's Ministry of Economic Development, the China Cultural Center in Budapest, and the Hungarian Post Office.

The sheet of four stamps was designed by graphic artist Krisztina Maros. It will be printed in 20,000 copies.

Against a red and white background, the stamps depict two pairs of rabbits in blue and white porcelain colors. The text over the image says "Year of the Rabbit" in Chinese and Hungarian. The stamp also features the Chinese symbols of Yin and Yang.

The launch ceremony was addressed by Yang Chao, interim charge d'affaires at the Chinese Embassy in Hungary, Marton Nagy, Hungary's minister for economic development, Barnabas Balczo, chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Hungarian Post Office, and Jin Hao, director of the China Cultural Center in Budapest.

According to Yang Chao, the issuance of Chinese Lunar Zodiac stamps is a significant element of the cultural and people-to-people exchanges between China and Hungary. It also symbolizes the strong friendship between the two peoples.

"The government of Hungary believes that it is extremely important to continue to strengthen the existing good relationships with China, and we are open to further cooperation," Nagy said.

Balczo recalled that the rabbit is the luckiest of the 12 animals in the Chinese Zodiac, and said he wished this would prove true for both countries in 2023.

The Year of the Rabbit stamp is the 10th Chinese Lunar Zodiac stamp issued by the Hungarian Post Office.