Chinese Language Assimilates Cultures -Amb. Yin Says at Climax of 24th “Chinese Bridge” Competition

MONROVIA – On May 23, 2025 the University of Liberia hosted the prestigious 24th Chinese Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students at the UL Main Campus Auditorium, in an effort to use language to connect diverse culture and bridge civilizations globally.

The Chinese have over the years used their historic experience to assimilate with their Liberian counterparts through education, and in partnership, the University of Liberia’s Confucius Institute which has been the central pathway for cultural and education assimilation organized the ceremonies.

Delivering the keynote address, Chinese Ambassador to Liberia Yin Chengwu underscored the importance of using the Chinese language to promote cultural bonds between nations.

Stressing the importance of learning Chinese, Ambassador Yin said the language stands as a cultural bond transcending time and space, connecting antiquity with modernity while bearing the essence of civilization.

Recounting the lore that undergird the Chinese culture, the Chinese envoy spoke of how Cang Jie, the legendary progenitor of Chinese writing, moved heaven with his creation of characters. In divine benediction, golden millet rained upon the earth, blessing all people.

Ambassador Yin said the Chinese language is a key to understanding China, unlocking the door to knowledge about the nation, and as one of the six official languages of the UN, Chinese is the only ancient language in human civilization that has been passed down for thousands of years.

“It carries profound historical heritage and cultural context,” he asserted further. “With its unique characters, rhythms, and connotations, Chinese exhibits unparalleled charm and vitality and is flourishing in the new era.”

According to the Ambassador, Chinese not only carries knowledge about China, values and worldview of the Chinese people, but also reflects the way of thinking and life in Chinese society.

It’s a window to Chinese culture and a unique force for recording, understanding, and promoting China, the diplomat said, adding that China advocates for resolving conflicts through dialogue and bridging differences through inclusiveness.

“China is a promoter of the Global Civilization Initiative, which advocates mutual learning among civilizations,” he continued. “As an ancient Chinese saying goes: Delicious soup is cooked by combining different ingredients. May more and more people understand China and Chinese culture through Chinese. Chinese is a bridge for mutual advancement, common development, and promoting exchange and cooperation.”

He quoted President Xi Jinping as pointing out that State-to-state relations thrive on close people-to-people bonds, which are rooted in mutual understanding between hearts and minds, and Civilizations flourish through exchanges and grow richer through mutual learning.

The Chinese language not only carries China’s historical and cultural heritage, but also enables friends worldwide to appreciate the wisdom of “harmony in diversity” and the compassionate spirit of “self-improvement and helping others thrive” in Chinese civilization, Ambassador Yin Chengwu said.

“I am heartened to see growing numbers of people, particularly young learners embracing Chinese, and more friends greeting me in this language. May we use Chinese as a cultural bridge to deepen exchanges, strengthen mutual understanding, and jointly advance an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era,” Ambassador Yin said.

Strengthening Partnerships through Education

According to Ambassador Yin, last September, the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation was successfully held, with President Xi Jinping announcing that China and Africa would launch ten partnership actions to jointly promote modernization.

“Among them, the Partnership Action for People-to-People Exchanges will carry out cooperation in education, youth, women and other fields. We will invite more African students to study and train in China, and have designated 2026 as the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges.

During the summit, President Xi and President Boakai met successfully and jointly announced that China-Liberia relations were upgraded to a strategic partnership, he recalled, indicating that there is great potential for practical cooperation in various fields between the two countries.

“I hope that more Liberian students can seize this unprecedented opportunity, learn Chinese well, become envoy of friendship between the two countries, and promote the continuous development of China-Liberia and China-Africa friendship,” Ambassador Yin enthused.

The Chines envoy used the occasion to congratulate all who took part in the 24^th “Chinese Bridge” Competition in Liberia.

“With the end of these programs, this year’s Chinese Bridge Competition has come to a successful conclusion. The vitality, confidence, talent, and love for Chinese language, demonstrated by all the contestants, are quite impressive. I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to all the contestants. This is not only a competition, but also a journey of experiencing Chinese culture,” Ambassador Yin said.

The program was attended by faculty and students of the University of Liberia, as well as government officials and the public.

The Chinese Bridge Competition, an international initiative by China’s Ministry of Education, is a cardinal platform for foreign students studying Chinese to sharpen their knowledge and appreciation for the Chinese culture. Since its inception, the competition has been held in over 120 countries and has served as a bridge linking young people across cultures.