UNIZIK Confucius Institute Reaches Chinese Bridge Global Top 30 for 12th Time

The 25th “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students is currently taking place in Xiamen, Fujian Province, China, with a contestant from the Confucius Institute at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Nigeria, advancing to the Global Top 30.

A total of 157 contestants from 138 countries are competing in the global competition. After three fiercely contested rounds, Faith Mba Emmanuel, whose Chinese name is 陆星瑶 (Lu Xingyao), distinguished herself with her Chinese proficiency and stage performance to successfully secure a place among the Global Top 30.

Her achievement makes her the 12th contestant from the NAU Confucius Institute to reach the “Chinese Bridge” Global Top 30 since 2018.

Faith’s achievement is particularly notable because she has the shortest Chinese-learning experience among the contestants participating in this year’s competition. While many contestants have studied Chinese for five or six years, the longest-serving contestant has studied the language for as many as 15 years. Some contestants have also studied or lived in China for extended periods, giving them the advantage of an immersive Chinese language and cultural environment.

In contrast, Faith began learning Chinese from scratch at the NAU Confucius Institute in March 2025.

In less than a year and a half, she has progressed from a complete beginner to competing on the global stage of the “Chinese Bridge” competition.

Her remarkable progress has been attributed to her passion for the Chinese language and persistent hard work. Competing against outstanding contestants from around the world, she demonstrated solid language skills and a confident and composed stage presence, advancing through successive rounds to secure her place among the Global Top 30.

According to Qin Fangfang of the Confucius Institute at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Faith Mba Emmanuel’s journey is a story of courage, perseverance and diligence, while also reflecting the determination of Nigerian youths to pursue their dreams and embrace challenges.

Since 2018, contestants from the NAU Confucius Institute have recorded outstanding results in the “Chinese Bridge” competitions, winning three African championships, four Global First Prizes and four Global Third Prizes, while 12 contestants have advanced to the Global Top 30.

The “Chinese Bridge” has consequently become an important international platform for the NAU Confucius Institute to showcase the achievements of its Chinese language education, nurture outstanding Chinese-language talent, and present the talent and vitality of Nigerian youths to the world.

The Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Prof. Yu Zhangbao, disclosed that the 25th “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students is still underway.

Prof. Zhangbao expressed optimism that Faith would maintain her excellent form, advance further in the upcoming rounds and achieve greater success.

He wished her every success as she continues to showcase the talent, confidence and determination of Nigerian youths on the global stage and strives to bring new honours to Nigeria and Nnamdi Azikiwe University.