School of Modern Languages student named runner-up in prestigious Chinese language competition

A student from the School of Modern Languages has been named runner-up in the UK Regional Final of the 24th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for university students.

Oliver Hassan, a Modern Chinese (BA) student, impressed judges with his confident speech, cultural insight, and linguistic flair at the final, held at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, on 5 June.

Competing against twelve students from eleven universities across the UK, he secured second place overall and now prepares to represent the UK in the global final, which will take place in China later this summer.

The "Chinese Bridge" competition is internationally recognised as one of the most prestigious platforms for students learning Chinese. Participants are assessed through a range of challenges including a prepared speech, cultural knowledge quiz, and live performance.

This year’s theme, One World, One Family, inspired reflections on students' language-learning journeys, Chinese traditions, and cross-cultural experiences.

Oliver’s success reflects his outstanding dedication and enthusiasm for Chinese language and culture, as well as the School of Modern Languages’ continued commitment to high-quality language education and global engagement.

Speaking about the achievement, Dr Xiaoli Wu, Programme Director for Chinese Studies praised Oliver’s hard work and composure under pressure:

“We are incredibly proud of Oliver’s achievement. His performance is testament to the strength of our Chinese programme and to the talent and dedication of our students. Representing the UK on the international stage is a remarkable opportunity and we look forward to supporting him as he prepares for the global final.”

Oliver said: "Being able to succeed in this competition is a demonstration of the hard work and dedication of the tutors in the School of Modern Languages and the Cardiff Confucius Institute, and the competition as a whole further highlights the importance of learning languages, the doors this opens and the bridges this builds.

“I am honoured to be able to move on to the global final in Beijing, and further promote this understanding of China and Chinese people, which in the Western world still often remains absent."

Now in its 24th year, the "Chinese Bridge" competition has welcomed over 1.2 million participants from 147 countries since its inception, making it a global showcase for student achievement in Chinese language and cultural understanding.