The Finals of the 17th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign Secondary School Students has been held in the city of Tianjin. Xie Min brings us more on this year's participants. 

The Finals of the 17th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign Secondary School Students is held in Tianjin on Oct 28. [Photo/bridge.chinese.cn]

Shiraz Rothschild, also known as Lu Xiaole in Chinese, is from the United States. Having studied Chinese for 10 years, it's been a dream of hers to come to China and participate in this competition. And just before taking to the stage, the young American still found a few minutes to brush up on her Chinese. 

SHIRAZ ROTHSCHILD, Contestant "I'm nervous in the moment, but I'm really glad that I had the opportunity. I have to keep on going, keep on pushing myself. Make sure I do everything I can, everything in my power."

This year the final has attracted over 110 secondary school contestants from 96 countries. After three rounds of intense competition, a contestant from Laos won the championship, with Shiraz settling for second. 

SHIRAZ ROTHSCHILD, Contestant "I'm really pleased with my performance today. I worked really hard to get to this point. I definitely look forward to studying Chinese in college. I know that Chinese will be a big part of my life moving forward."

The "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Secondary School Students has enabled contestants to embark on a unique journey to Beijing and Tianjin. In Tianjin, the organizers hosted the competition at famous scenic spots, such as the Ancient Culture Street and the Five Avenues, allowing contestants to immerse themselves in traditional Chinese culture.

SOFIJA BERAK, Contestant "I want to come here again. It's very interesting. There are many different shops here. This is the first time that I've seen Chinese embroidery."

MYAT NOE KHIN, Contestant "This time, we took the high-speed railway, which is not available in Myanmar. In the future, I hope the trains in my country can be as fast as the trains in China. From Beijing to Tianjin, it only takes half an hour."

ZHONG YINGHUA, Chair of the International Society for Chinese Language Teaching "What makes this session of the 'Chinese Bridge' different from previous editions is that we've made the city of Tianjin a vast classroom for the students. They can feel the Chinese society, economy, education and culture."

At the same time, the 4th "Chinese Bridge" for Foreign Primary School Students was also held in Tianjin. These events serve not only as a linguistic feast but also as a platform for the exchange and fusion of diverse cultures, providing an opportunity for contestants from around the world to gain a profound understanding of China and each other.