LONDON, June 6 (Xinhua) -- The 24th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition UK Regional Final was held at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, on Thursday. Twelve contestants from eleven universities across Britain competed for the top three spots, as well as individual awards for talents, including "Most Creative" and "Best Performance."
In addition to the traditional competition segments -- namely, a three-minute themed speech, a three-minute Chinese cultural performance, and five questions on Chinese culture and language -- this year's final also featured a new impromptu Q&A round.
During the competition, participants delivered speeches around the theme "One World, One Family", sharing stories of their journey learning Chinese, their views on traditional Chinese medicine, and anecdotes from campus life.
The talent segment featured a variety of Chinese cultural performances, including ribbon dragon dance, ballet, fan dance, and even stand-up comedy.
Students and teachers from British institutions offering Chinese language courses, along with enthusiasts of the Chinese language and culture, followed the event online.
Simon Oliver Griffiths from Liverpool John Moores University won the championship, while Oliver Jason Hassan from Cardiff University and Charles Samuel Rutnam from Newcastle University took second and third place, respectively. Joseph David Newbery from the University of Sheffield was voted "Most Popular Contestant" and was awarded the title of "Cultural and Tourism Ambassador of China" by the China National Tourist Office in London.
Since its launch in 2002, the "Chinese Bridge" competition has attracted more than 1.21 million university students from 147 countries, becoming a key platform for showcasing Chinese language education in the world. ■
