Chinese speech contest for foreign secondary school students concludes in New Zealand

The New Zealand final of the 13th "Chinese Bridge" Speech Contest for World Secondary School Students ended here on Sunday at the Confucius Institute at Victoria University of Wellington (VUW).

Three Confucius Institutes in New Zealand selected 35 contestants from 25 schools in New Zealand's North and South Islands to participate in the competition. It is reported that the top four in the high school group will represent New Zealand in the finals of the "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Speech Contest for World Middle School Students in China.

While New Zealand has no community transmission of COVID-19, the country decided to run the competition in an online format, and divided into two parts: speech and talent. Contestants submitted videos of their talent performance in advance and the winners were announced during the competition.

Adele Bryant, director of the Confucius Institute at Victoria University of Wellington, said, "It has been exciting to see how students and teachers have responded to the new online format, and we think that this could make it easier for more students to participate in the future."

The winner of the senior group Jake Doyle focused his speech on the topic of "Cheer for China."

"The outbreak of COVID-19 has changed our way of life greatly both in China and New Zealand, and even the whole world, but China is great, China is an example to the rest of the world, so I think need to learn Chinese well and then go to China, this is my dream," Doyle said.

Rhea Homroy, a contestant from the junior high school group, said, "New Zealand and China have always had a very good political and economic relationship. Learning Chinese will open a door to you, a door to a different world. Learning Chinese will help make people understand each other. This can make the bridge between us stronger and make our future better."

Tony Browne, chairman of the Confucius Institute at VUW, in his opening remarks to students said there are over 6,000 secondary school students studying Chinese in New Zealand, and only 18 have made it to take part in this senior competition.

"I hope, this will be the beginning of an involvement with Chinese that will take you in directions you don't yet know. For me, I started my Chinese studies 47 years ago. It has been part of my life ever since. You don't know what direction your career will take you, but I hope China will be part of it," Browne said.

The competition which is run internationally by the Centre for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC) was hosted by the Confucius Institute at Victoria University of Wellington this year.