Chinese Bridge competition a means for global understanding

More than 1.5 million foreign students in more than 160 countries have participated in the "Chinese Bridge" competition, a worldwide Chinese language contest, over the past 20 years, Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng said on Monday.

In a ceremony celebrating the 20th anniversary of Chinese Bridge, Huai said the annual competition has become an incomparable language project worldwide, reaching hundreds of millions every year.

More than 170,000 participants have been invited to summer camps in China to experience the Chinese culture and language, he said.

The competition is a window for people to understand the real China, he said.

By participating in Chinese Bridge, young people from different countries have experienced the beauty of China's natural scenery, language, culture and the Chinese people, he said.

They have also witnessed the country's development, road to prosperity, openness, inclusiveness and stability and started to tell the country's story in different languages, he said, adding they have enriched their life experience, broadened career opportunities and formed close friendships.

The Chinese government and people have always supported and valued the competition. The Chinese Bridge, based on existing competitions for university and secondary school students, will open new competition for primary school students, he said.

Human beings are faced with unprecedented risks and challenges, which calls for more communication in language and culture, and mutual understanding and friendly exchange of young people, especially among Gen-Zers, he added.