A passenger takes a picture of the interior of the bus, which is filled with Italian-themed pictures and slogans. [Photo/xinhua]

Hangzhou recently introduced a bus featuring elements of Italian culture to show support for the country, which is now struggling with a major COVID-19 outbreak.

China has long maintained friendly ties with Italy, and Hangzhou became the sister city of Verona last year.

To honor their friendship, Hangzhou opened a special bus route called the "1314 China-Italy bus" last August. The number 1314 is pronounced similar to "for a lifetime" in Chinese, suggesting that the friendship between the two countries will last forever.

Over the past seven months, the bus has become popular among newly-weds, who often ride it as a part of their marriage celebrations.

At the beginning of this week, the bus took on a new look. The slogan "Stay strong, Italy" written in both Chinese and Italian was inscribed on its exterior.

Images of some of Italy's most famous landmarks, including the Roman Coliseum, were also painted on the bus using red, white and green, the colors of the Italian flag.

The interior of the bus is also filled with signs of support for Italy.