Champion crowned at 23rd "Chinese Bridge" language competition global finals

The 23rd "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students held its global finals and awards ceremony on Monday in east China's Fujian Province, with competitors of diverse backgrounds forming deep connections based on their shared love of Chinese culture.

Guided by China's Ministry of Education and the Fujian Provincial Government, the event was held by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation in Pingtan County in Fuzhou City, capital of Fujian Province.

Officials including Zhao Long, governor of Fujian Province, Chen Jie, vice minister of the Ministry of Education, Zhang Yan, head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee and Li Xinghu, vice governor of Fujian attended Monday's event.

The 23rd "Chinese Bridge" competition officially kicked off in February this year. After several rounds of contests, the global finals brought together 147 contestants from 130 countries and regions.

Contestants from Kazakhstan, Egypt, Venezuela, Belgium and New Zealand stood out as their respective continental champions and competed on the global final stage.

Belgian contestant Benjamin Herman, whose Chinese name is He Jieming, emerged as the global champion.

"It's amazing. Everyone comes from different countries with entirely different backgrounds, but we all share the same interests and hobbies. It's a great opportunity to make friends and learn from each other. All the continental champions are incredibly talented, so I knew it would be a tough competition. But I’m thrilled to win the first place and will keep working hard. I'm really proud of myself, especially since I've only been learning Chinese for three years. I think this is a great achievement," said Herman.

The finals consisted of four rounds, covering elements like Fujian's "Fu" culture, maritime culture and history of international exchanges.

Five contestants from different continents showcased performances that blended their native cultural elements with traditional Chinese culture, giving viewers a taste of the fusion of diverse aesthetic traditions.

"We've gained a deep understanding of Chinese culture because we visited many places in Fujian, like Wuyi Mountain, where we experienced its tea culture. It was an excellent opportunity for us to learn more about Chinese culture. The most memorable part was meeting friends from all over the world. We're connected by our love for Chinese and 'Chinese Bridge' brought us together," said Yasmine Sayed Mohamad Hamed Osman, the African champion of the 23rd "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students from Egypt.

Additionally, nine former champions were invited back to the stage to share their stories of participating in the competition, learning Chinese and promoting Chinese language and culture.

Since its inception in 2002, the "Chinese Bridge" series has attracted over 1.7 million young Chinese-language learners worldwide.

Champion crowned at 23rd "Chinese Bridge" language competition global finals

Authorities in east China's coastal provinces Zhejiang and Jiangsu have launched emergency evacuation of residents to help mitigate the impact of Typhoon Bebinca -- the 13th typhoon of the year.

In Zhejiang's Pinghu City, communities have started the relocation work. The old town area of Xindai, home to about 1,400 permanent residents, including some 30 percent elderly, has been a focus of evacuation efforts.

Over 50 elderly residents have been evacuated to a temporary courtyard shelter, where they have plenty of space for meals and walking around. The shelter is equipped with folding beds, food, drinking water and medical staff standing by to address any health concerns.

The province also raised its emergency response for typhoon prevention to level II.

In Jiangsu Province, Nantong City has conducted comprehensive safety inspections and organized evacuations in key areas.

Nantong's Rugao Port on the Yangtze River was shutdown on Sunday afternoon.

All workers at the Zhangjiagang-Jingjiang-Rugao Bridge construction site -- located at a river shoal -- are evacuated ahead of the storm attack.

"From the temporary ferry to the Rugao-Zhangjiagang ferry, we have evacuated a total of 428 people. So far, all construction personnel of the Zhangjinggao Bridge within the scope of this construction site have been evacuated to our shelter," said Ding Xiaoxing, chief engineer of Rugao Water Affairs Department.

Authorities in Nantong has evacuated more than 1,400 people and over 200 vessels along the coastal area under its jurisdiction.

Making landfall in Shanghai on Monday morning, Typhoon Bebinca is the most powerful tropical cyclone directly hitting the Chinese financial hub in more than seven decades.

Zhejiang, Jiangsu evacuate residents as Typhoon Bebinca lands in east China