Zhao Fei, minister of the Chinese embassy in the United Kingdom, says: "Language serves as a means for exchanging ideas and a bridge for mutual understanding."

Zhao describes mastering Chinese as "holding a magic key that bridges the past and present", adding that it allows students to "traverse time, explore China's 5,000 years of civilization, understand its current progress, and get a view of its future".

Established by the United Nations, International Chinese Language Day is observed annually on April 20 to promote multilingualism and cultural diversity.