Mandarin gaining popularity in Vietnam

Nong Khanh Ly, a 21-year-old Vietnamese woman, amazed the Chinese audience at a television quiz show on culture with her fluent Mandarin and formidable recall of classical poetry.

She was praised for reciting the writing of Li Qingzhao, a household poetess of the Song Dynasty (960-1279).

"I like the sentimental mist that lingers among her lines," said the girl, "the more you learn about the language, the deeper you fall in love with it."