On Friday, 12 students from higher learning institutions competed in the national finals of the 25th Chinese Bridge Competition.
The students competed in proficiency in Chinese, culture and arts.
University of Malawi (Unima) student Feston Chikopa came top followed by Chrispin Kamwendo also from Unima while Temwa Kumwenda from Exploits University came third.
Chikopa said they were assessed through a written examination, speeches and cultural performances conducted in Chinese.
He said: “The performances, the test and the speech were all in Chinese. The written examination consisted multiple-choice questions covering Chinese language knowledge, national affairs and history, all presented in Chinese characters.”
Chikopa said his cultural performance drew inspiration from both Malawi’s Lake of Stars Festival and China’s Lantern Festival.
“I did a poem about the Lantern Festival in China and linked it to the view of the Lake of Stars in Malawi,” he said.
The winners will represent Malawi at the global Chinese Bridge Competition in China later this year.
Speaking at the event, Unima executive dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Professor Emmanuel Ngwira, said the competition continues to play a vital role in promoting Chinese language education while strengthening ties between Malawi and China.
He praised the participation of Mzuzu University students, who were taking part for the second consecutive year, describing their continued involvement as an encouraging sign of the programme’s growth.
Ngwira said the competition serves three key purposes: providing student s with a platform to demonstrate their skills, recognising the work of lecturers who prepare contestants, and allowing Confucius Institute (CI) Malawi to demonstrate its effectiveness to sponsors, particularly the Chinese Embassy in Malawi.
“Behind every contestant stands a teacher who has invested considerable time, energy and expertise in preparing students for this moment,” said Ngwira.
He also acknowledged difficulties facing CI-Malawi, including shortage of teaching personnel and declining financial resources.
“At a time when CI-Malawi continues to face significant challenges, including shortages of teaching personnel and declining financial resources, it is encouraging to see the Institute doing its utmost to keep its head above water,” the dean said.
Despite the challenges, he expressed optimism about the institute’s future following the completion and handover of the CI-Malawi Complex, describing the facility as a symbol of Chinese support and a potential source of greater financial sustainability.
Ngwira thanked the Chinese Embassy and the Government of China for their continued support of the institute and sponsorship of the competition.
The Chinese Embassy Deputy Head of Mission Wang Hao, described knowledge of language as mastering a key that opens a new whole new world. He said people to people exchanges between Malawi and China are currently flourishing accompanied by more dynamic personnel exchanges between the two nations.
He said, “For Malawian youth, learning Chinese not only helps you gain deeper understanding of Chinese culture but also boards you unto the express train of China’s modernisation, which will provide boundless opportunities.”
According to Ngwira, the competition is designed not only to test language proficiency but also to promote cultural exchange and international understanding.
He said that the Chinese Bridge Competition had evolved into more than a language contest, describing it as “a bridge between people’s, cultures and nations” that strengthen friendship and cooperation between Malawi and China.
