The 19th and 25th Mauritius Regional Finals of the "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Secondary School and University Students, respectively, concluded successfully at the auditorium of the University of Mauritius on 6th June, 2026. The well-organized event was attended by Her Excellency Dr. Huang Shifang, Ambassador of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China, Mr. Yang Jun, Cultural Counsellor of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China, Professor Kavi Kumar Khedo, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Mauritius, Chinese Director Mrs. Yang Fang and Mauritian Director Dr. Naraindra Kistamah of the Confucius Institute at the University of Mauritius, judges, contestants, and a large audience of local enthusiasts of Chinese language and culture.
In his address, Professor Kavi Kumar Khedo, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Mauritius, described Chinese Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition as a "World-class International Cultural Olympics," highlighting its role as a life-changing platform offering scholarships and global opportunities. At national level, the event was organized by the Confucius Institute at UoM and the Chinese Embassy, and the competition evaluates Mandarin proficiency and cultural talents, including martial arts, calligraphy, and music. He emphasized that multilingualism is a superpower in today's global economy, with Mandarin opening doors for Mauritian youth as bridges between Africa and China. He thanked Ambassador Dr Huang Shifang, the Embassy, and CI-UoM for their unwavering support, and encouraged contestants to perform with pride as cultural ambassadors.
Mr. Yang Jun, Cultural Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Mauritius, congratulated the contestants and thanked teachers and parents for their support. He highlighted the event as a showcase of Chinese language proficiency and also an important platform for promoting cultural exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. He noted that learning Chinese connects youth to the world's second-largest economy and future opportunities. He also mentioned that the year 2026 marks the 10th anniversary of the Confucius Institute at UoM, which has become a vital platform for educational cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between China and Mauritius. The Counsellor commended UoM and CI-UoM for advancing bilateral cultural and educational ties, contributing to Chinese language education, and promoting Chinese culture.
In this "Chinese Bridge" finals, six contestants participated in each category of secondary school and university students. The competition consisted of two parts: Chinese speech and talent show. The 12 contestants gave exciting speeches on the themes of "Fly High with Chinese" and "One World, One Family," sharing their personal stories and demonstrating their proficiency in the language and understanding of Chinese culture. In the talent demonstration segment, contestants presented Chinese songs, dances, Chinese painting, and Chinese bamboo flute performance, bringing a magnificent visual and auditory feast to the audience.
After intense competition, the first prize for the secondary school student category was awarded to Divsha Jharittaya from Gaetan Raynal State College, and to Karen Robinson from the University of Mauritius for the University student category. Both winners will attend the global finals of the "Chinese Bridge" competition to be held in China this year, and we give them our best wishes!
The "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition is a stage to showcase Chinese language proficiency and knowledge of Chinese culture, and it provides an opportunity for university and secondary school students worldwide, who are learning Chinese, to display their cultural talents and language proficiency.
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Speech by Professor Kavi Kumar Khedo and Mr. Yang Jun
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Divsha Jharittaya (left) from Gaetan Raynal State College and Karen Robinson (right) from University of Mauritius, performing during the competition
Group photo of Her Excellency Dr. Huang Shifang, judges, contestants, performing guests, and Confucius Institute staff