"Participating in the Chinese Bridge event allowed me to step beyond textbooks and experience China's culture firsthand to truly feel its charm," said Ibrohimkhonova Ezozakhon from Uzbekistan, who was influenced by her father's time studying in China. She began learning Tai Chi and martial arts as a child and is now studying in Tianjin at her father's recommendation. She hopes to help more people in Uzbekistan gain a fuller understanding of China.

"I'm thrilled to see so many foreign friends speak Chinese so well," said a volunteer from Tianjin Normal University. "Some of the contestants I assisted started learning Chinese at the age of three. They made it to the global top 30 and won third prizes. I'm proud of them."