A Chinese Bridge Competition held at the University of the South Pacific (USP) Cook Islands Campus this week saw students participating in Chinese language and proficiency and discussing their understanding of the Chinese culture.

Shuang Zhao, Confucius classroom lecturer at the USP Cook Islands, says the Cook Islands Preliminary Rounds competition encompassed various categories.

Students Raetea Rongo and Uleina Eraio participated in the 5^th Chinese Language Competition for Secondary School Students and the 17^th Chinese Bridge-Chinese Proficiency Competition.

Tera-Itirere-Ki-Avaiki Rongo, Vearii Loane, Losaline Teulilo, Te Pori-O-Kare Masela Rongo and Keanui Selam all participated in the 1^st Chinese Language Competition for Primary School Students and the 4^th Chinese Bridge-Chinese Show for Foreign Primary School Students.

Three rounds of Arrow Games and three rounds of kicking games, where the participants had fun and gained some experience in Chinese games, were held.

Shuang guided all the students’ speeches and talent shows, and encouraged students to explore their love for Chinese culture and the courage to challenge themselves through various forms. She also won the “Excellent Instructor Award”.

Through the “Chinese Bridge” competition, she said primary and secondary school students not only improved their Chinese language proficiency, but also broadened their horizons, enriched their knowledge of Chinese culture and history, and enhanced cultural exchanges between China and the South Pacific.

“In the future, I believe that more primary and secondary school students will participate in the ranks of Chinese learning, experience the beauty of Chinese and feel the charm of Chinese culture.”

Counsellor Tang Jun of the Chinese Embassy in New Zealand, representing Cook Islands and Niue, expressed gratitude to the Cook Islands Ministry of Education, Ministry of Cultural Development, University of the South Pacific, and the USP Cook Islands Campus for their support.

Counsellor Tang expressed gratitude to all participants who showed interest in learning Chinese, as well as their parents who encouraged and supported their children to learn Chinese.

Dean Li Yini, director of the Confucius Institute at the University of the South Pacific, emphasised the institute’s commitment to fostering cultural exchange. They aim to make learning Chinese more engaging and highlight the interesting connections between Cook Islands Maori culture and Chinese culture, allowing locals to experience the beauty of both.

Anthony Turua, advisor to the Minister of Cultural Development, said that China and the Cook Islands have carried out many cultural exchanges and cooperation in the past 25 years, enabling the two countries to have a deeper understanding of each other’s culture, principles and values.

“The Cook Islands and China seek further cooperation in agriculture, finance, climate change, education, health, culture, tourism, emergency response and technology, so they will encourage and support the people of the Cook Islands to learn as much Chinese as possible to understand Chinese culture,” Turua said.

The competition had two parts: theme speech and talent show where the participants spoke in Chinese about their experience in learning Chinese and their understanding of its culture.

In the talent show, there were performances of classic Chinese pop songs, calligraphy, Chinese painting, origami, paper cutting and other programmes.