U.S. student wins Chinese Bridge global championship

(ECNS) -- A U.S. student has won the global championship at the 19th Chinese Bridge -- Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign Secondary School Students, which concluded in Tianjin on Monday.

Willa Brubaker took the top prize after advancing through five rounds of competition.

Students from Vietnam, Madagascar, Italy, the United States and New Zealand competed in the global final.

For Brubaker, the competition was more than winning. She said that the friendships she made during the event were her biggest takeaway.

She also said she plans to continue studying Chinese and hopes to pursue a career that involves working across borders and collaborating with people in China. She hopes to share her experiences in China with her family and friends.

The event this year marked the 25th anniversary of the Chinese Bridge program. Organizers said 417 students from 106 countries, accompanied by guardians and teachers, took part in Chinese-language and cultural activities in Beijing and Tianjin, including visits to the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven.

(By Evelyn)