New Delhi, May 23 (H.S.): Chinese Ambassador Xu Feihong said that the growing interest among Indian youth in learning the Chinese language is giving a new direction to relations between India and China. He described it as an important step toward strengthening mutual understanding and friendship between the two nations.

Ambassador Xu was addressing the final round and prize distribution ceremony of the Chinese language proficiency competition “Chinese Bridge” (India Division) held here on Friday.

During the event, he congratulated Association of Indian Universities Secretary General Dr. Pankaj Mittal, the judges, teachers, and students, while also praising the winning participants for their performances.

The ambassador said that more than 150 Indian students and teachers had participated in programmes related to Chinese art and culture during the International Chinese Language Day celebrations held last month. He added that the finalists in the competition demonstrated remarkable command over the Chinese language, along with enthusiasm and confidence.

Congratulating the organisers on the 25th anniversary of the “Chinese Bridge” competition, Xu described the event as the “Olympics of international Chinese language education.” He said the platform has created numerous opportunities for young people over the past 25 years. Referring to last year’s competition, he noted that one Indian participant had secured employment with China Southern Airlines.

The ambassador also announced that a new “Experiencing China” study tour programme for Indian youth would soon be launched. Winners of this year’s competition will be given priority to participate in the programme, enabling them to witness China’s modern development and progress firsthand.

Xu stated that China and India are neighbouring countries connected by mountains and rivers and cannot be separated. He urged young people to learn the Chinese language, understand China better, and become ambassadors of friendship between the two countries.

Notably, the “Chinese Bridge” is one of the world’s leading competitions dedicated to Chinese language and culture. It is organised by the Centre for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC) under China’s Ministry of Education, with the objective of promoting Chinese language and cultural learning among youth across the world.

During the ceremony, Ambassador Xu also praised the fairness and professionalism of the five-member judging panel and expressed gratitude to Indian supporters who have contributed to the promotion of Chinese language education.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar