Finals of Chinese proficiency contest for college students held in Botswana

GABORONE, April 30 (Xinhua) -- The finals of the Botswanan leg of the 24th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese proficiency competition for foreign college students was held in Gaborne on Tuesday.

Under the theme of "One World, One Family," the contest at the University of Botswana (UB) in the capital city included quizzes, speeches and talent shows by nine contestants, featuring songs and dances, poem reading, kung fu, paper-cutting and calligraphy.

The top winner was Teto Thomas Bonno, who goes by the Chinese name Murong Yu. A student of the Confucius Institute at the UB, Bonno sang a Chinese song "Hello Tomorrow" and spoke about the friendship between Botswana and China. The two countries established diplomatic ties in 1975.

Other winners were Dineo Dichaba (Xu Banxia), Aone Tamsyn Kyla Kinnear (Ou Yuqing), and Sharon Gracious T. Khumomotse (Kong Fengmei).

Speaking at the event, Thapelo Otlogetswe, dean of the UB Faculty of Humanities, said the Chinese proficiency competition builds a bridge between young people of China and Botswana, and has become an important platform for worldwide Chinese language learners to show their language skills.

He encouraged young Botswanans to stay open-minded in Chinese language learning to facilitate cultural exchange, trade and contribute to stronger friendship between the two countries.

Keoletile Mmopi, chief education officer at the Botswanan Department of Tertiary Education Financing, emphasized the importance of learning Chinese language to knowing more about China, which helps to elevate the Botswanan economy and realize the country's Vision 2036 development blueprint.

Chinese Ambassador to Botswana Fan Yong said that the Chinese language has played a crucial role in the continuous development of Chinese civilization over the past 5,000 years, and the theme of the competition this year, "One World, One Family," goes well with the concept of "building a community with a shared future for mankind."

He called on Botswanan young people to learn the Chinese language to better understand Chinese culture and carry forward the traditional friendship between China and Botswana. Enditem