"Chinese Bridge" language contest concludes

A total of 10 Nepali college students on Sunday contested in the final round of the 22nd "Chinese Bridge" language contest in Lalitpur, a city in the Kathmandu Valley.

The Chinese language proficiency competition, hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Nepal and organized by the Confucius Institute at Kathmandu University, featured speeches on "One World, One Family," quizzes on Chinese knowledge and talent shows.

The Nepali contestants, five males and five females, shared their visions of "One World, One Family" through their own experiences.

They also showed their appreciation of Chinese culture through singing Chinese songs, violin solo, practice of Taiji (Tai Chi) and martial arts.

Anish Kumar Kikel from Kathmandu University was thrilled to secure the first place in the contest, saying he dreams about visiting China.

"I'm on the way to you, China," he exclaimed.

Kikel will be invited to attend the global final in China to compete with contestants from other countries.

"You will get to see and learn, at first hand, how China has prospered, which I believe will transform your way of thinking," Manjali Shakya Bajracharya, Lalitpur's deputy mayor, told the audience.

"Change in Nepal is possible if young minds like you can better our relationship with China," she said.

Chinese education has become a well-known name card in the development of China-Nepal relationship, as language is the best key to getting to know about another country, said Chen Song, the Chinese ambassador to Nepal.

He said that over 10,000 Chinese learners have been registered with two Confucius Institutes and Confucius Classrooms in Nepal, and there are nearly 100 Nepalis studying in China each year.

Besides, Chinese has been added as a course of study by many universities and colleges and primary and secondary schools in Nepal, Chen said.

The ambassador pledged joint efforts with the Nepali government and friends from all walks of life to implement the China-proposed Global Civilization Initiative and pool resources available, including the Chinese government scholarship, to make Chinese education high-end and professional and offer better opportunities and platforms for learners to learn and use the language.