Opening Ceremony of the 25th Chinese Bridge-Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students Held in Pingtan, Fujian

Pingtan, Fujian, China--(Newsfile Corp. - August 9, 2026) - The opening ceremony of the 25th Chinese Bridge-Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students and Summer Camp was held in Pingtan, Fujian Province, on August 8. Liu Jianqing, Deputy Director of the Center for Language Education and Cooperation of the Ministry of Education; Wu Weiping, First-Level Inspector of the Fujian Provincial Department of Education; Xiu Xinggao, Chairman of the Fujian Tourism Development Group; Yang Guohe, Vice Chairman of the Fujian Broadcasting and Television Group; Xiao Shaoping, Deputy General Manager of the Fujian Tourism Development Group; and Chen Xunming, Deputy Director of the Administrative Committee of the Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone, attended the event alongside 157 contestants from 137 countries around the world.

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In his remarks, Liu Jianqing noted that 2026 marks the 25th anniversary of the Chinese Bridge program. Over the past 25 years, generations of Chinese language enthusiasts have come together through Chinese Bridge to connect, exchange and grow. He expressed hope that contestants from around the world would become not only participants in the competition, but also observers exploring China firsthand. Through learning experiences in Beijing, Fujian and other parts of China, they can transform the Chinese they have learned from textbooks into tangible and memorable cultural experiences, improve their Chinese language skills and showcase their talents through the competition, while making friends through exchanges, gaining a vivid and authentic understanding of China, and sharing what they see and experience with more people.

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Yang Guohe said that 2026 marks the 25th anniversary of the founding of Chinese Bridge. Since 2024, the Chinese Bridge program has come to Fujian for three consecutive years. This year's event continues under the theme "See Fujian, See China, See the Future," taking contestants to five cities - Beijing, Pingtan, Fuzhou, Zhangzhou and Xiamen. Through a wide range of activities, including intangible cultural heritage experiences, visits to World Heritage sites, technology tours and youth exchanges, the event will enable young people from around the world to experience the charm of Chinese culture and the vitality of contemporary China through firsthand encounters. The program also aims to promote mutual understanding and friendship through interaction and exchange.

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Chen Xunming said in his remarks that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the development of Pingtan as an International Tourism Island, while the connection between Chinese Bridge and Pingtan has now entered its third year. Pingtan will leverage its geographic and cultural advantages as a link connecting China with the world, using language to promote communication and communication to foster mutual understanding. Drawing on distinctive cultural resources such as the Shell Mound Site Cluster and the Underwater Archaeological Sites of the Haitan Strait, Pingtan will enable young people from around the world to experience Chinese culture and enhance exchanges and mutual learning amid its natural landscapes and rich cultural heritage.

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During the opening ceremony, guests and contestant representatives poured blue water symbolizing the five continents into the launch device. The words "Chinese as a Bridge, One Family Under Heaven" then appeared, officially marking the launch of the 25th Chinese Bridge-Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students

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Following the ceremony, the contestants jointly planted 25 friendship trees and five trees symbolizing longing and friendship, commemorating the 25-year journey of Chinese Bridge and expressing young people's shared hopes for friendship and a brighter future across the five continents.

On the same day, the first Bridge Crossing Points Competition of this year's event, titled "Learning from the Past and Understanding the Present," was also held. The written test featured three types of questions - listening, multiple-choice and writing - covering a wide range of topics related to Chinese culture, geography, history, economics and other fields.

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Chinese Bridge
Wu Yuwei
[email protected]
http://bridge.chinese.cn/c25/

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