Translated with AI
The final round of the 25th World Chinese Language Competition "Chinese Bridge" among university students took place today at the Russian-Tajik (Slavic) University in Dushanbe. The event was organized by the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Tajikistan, the executive organizer was the Confucius Institute at Tajik National University, and the co-organizer was RTSU.
The large-scale event brought together representatives of the diplomatic corps, university administrators, faculty, students, and representatives of Chinese companies operating in Tajikistan. Among the distinguished guests were Wang Guochun, Chargé d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Tajikistan, the leadership of RTSU, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education and Science, and the Ministry of Culture of Tajikistan, as well as the heads of Confucius Institutes and higher education institutions.
Before the start of the competition program, the university held a job opening exhibition for students. The focus was on employing young professionals with knowledge of Chinese. Representatives of Chinese companies noted a high demand for translators from Tajik to Chinese and from Chinese to Tajik. According to them, the salary for such specialists ranges from approximately 4,000 to 15,000 somoni, depending on experience and qualifications.
More than ten Chinese and Tajik-Chinese companies participated in the job fair. Students were presented with job openings in a variety of fields, from geology and industry to technical specialties. The companies also offered internships and employment opportunities for young people, even without work experience.
The official part of the event began with a video of the opening and welcoming remarks from the organizers. Wang Guochun, Chargé d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Tajikistan, delivered the welcoming remarks.
He emphasized the importance of the "Chinese Bridge" competition for the development of humanitarian and educational cooperation between the two countries.
"The 'Chinese Language Bridge' competition is a platform for the younger generation to demonstrate their knowledge of Chinese, exchange experiences, and inspire each other. You are the future of Tajikistan and the hope of Chinese-Tajik friendship," noted Wang Guochun.
He also stated that relations between China and Tajikistan have reached a high level of strategic partnership over more than 30 years of diplomatic ties.
"The parties confirmed their intention to jointly form a Community of Shared Destiny between China and Tajikistan and take bilateral relations to a new level," the diplomat emphasized.
Wang Guochun expressed gratitude to the ministries, universities, and Confucius Institutes for their support of the competition and the development of Chinese-Tajik educational exchanges.
The rector of the Russian-Tajik (Slavic) University, Ibrohimzoda Ilkhomuddin, also delivered a welcoming speech.
He noted that the "Chinese Bridge" competition has been uniting young people from around the world for a quarter of a century and has contributed to strengthening friendship between peoples.
"Today's event is more than just a language skills competition; it's a significant international event. For 25 years, the Chinese Bridge competition has consistently brought together young people from all over the world, actively promoting intercultural exchange," said the RTSU rector.
Ibrohimzoda Ilkhomuddin also emphasized that the competition coincided with an important stage in strengthening Tajik-Chinese relations, especially against the backdrop of the state visit of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon to China.
According to him, the development of educational and youth exchanges plays an important role in strengthening cooperation between the two countries.
"We are very proud that RTSU students have repeatedly represented Tajikistan on the international stage and won the Chinese Bridge competition," he noted.
The rector paid special attention to the recent job fair.
"Today we also witnessed another important event—a job fair featuring Chinese companies and Tajik-Chinese joint ventures. This is an important opportunity for young people to learn about career prospects and establish contacts with potential employers," said Ibrohimzoda Ilkhomuddin.
The competition program consisted of several stages. Participants delivered thematic presentations, demonstrated their creative skills, and participated in situational performances, debates, and an intellectual competition. Between stages, the audience was treated to vibrant performances, including Tajik and Chinese dances, as well as musical performances.
The competition finals took place in a tense yet festive atmosphere. Participants demonstrated a high level of Chinese language proficiency, knowledge of Chinese culture, and public speaking skills.
The winner of the competition was a student of the Confucius Institute, participant number 8 – Sharipov Aminchon.
As the winner explained after the awards ceremony, this victory was the result of many years of hard work, family support, and help from teachers.
"For me, this victory is the result of a lot of hard work, the support of my teachers, and the faith of my family. The most challenging part was coming up with a description from a photograph in 30 seconds and then describing it in Chinese in one minute. But I managed to overcome all the challenges with flying colors," said Aminchon Sharipov.
The event concluded with an awards ceremony, the presentation of diplomas, and a commemorative photo of the participants, organizers, and guests of the competition.
The final of the "Chinese Bridge" competition in Dushanbe once again provided a vibrant platform for cultural and educational exchange, demonstrating the growing interest of Tajik youth in learning Chinese and strengthening cooperation between Tajikistan and China.
