More Mandarin learners in Ukraine

Ukrainian Zvenyhorodskyi Pavlo says he has learned two things in his journey to learn Chinese. "First, is to adjust your attitude, and second, to respect and embrace the culture. Hotpot, for instance, could be a good start."

In October, the 21-year-old, whose Chinese name is Zeng Ziru, won the second prize in Chinese Bridge, an annual language competition for foreign college students to demonstrate their knowledge of Chinese and the culture through speeches and performances.

The event featured 146 contestants from 108 countries.