The Chinese Embassy in South Africa and the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC) is inviting eligible students to participate in the 25th (2026) South Africa Finals of the Chinese Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition for University Students.
The Chinese Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition was launched in 2002 and is one of the most prestigious international competitions for Chinese language learners worldwide. Each year, more than 1.5 million young participants from over 160 countries take part in preliminary rounds, with top contestants advancing to the global finals held in China. The competition promotes cultural exchange and provides an opportunity for young people to deepen their understanding of Chinese language and culture.
The 2026 South Africa Finals will be organised by the Chinese Embassy in South Africa and CLEC, and hosted by the University of the Western Cape.
Theme: One World, One Family (天下一家)
Date: 14 May 2026
Venue: Main Hall, University of the Western Cape, Robert Sobukwe Road, Bellville, Cape Town, South Africa
15 April 2026
Applicants must:
International students who are not South African nationals may participate; however, they will not be eligible to represent South Africa in the global semi-finals or finals.
Participants who represented South Africa in the global semi-finals or finals in the previous edition may not participate in consecutive years.
The competition consists of three components:
Chinese Language Proficiency (70%)
Chinese Cultural Skills / Talent Segment (10%)
Participants may present a performance related to Chinese culture, such as:
Performance duration: 3–5 minutes
Knowledge of China Written Test (20%)
The written test will cover topics such as:
Applicants must register online using the following link: https://forms.gle/SSd7Jga7ez8soSrw5
For further information, please contact:
Dr Iris Wu: confucius@uwc.ac.za
Prof Haofeng Sun: hsun@uwc.ac.za
Dr Lu Tang: ltang@uwc.ac.za
Please note that this opportunity is not offered by the Department of Higher Education and Training. Applicants are required to undertake their own research into programmes and institutions and are responsible for ensuring that the qualifications will be recognised in South Africa by contacting the South African Qualifications Authority and the relevant professional bodies. If there are any discrepancies in the details provided, the information given by the sponsor supersedes the details provided above. No additional financial support will be provided by the Department of Higher Education and Training.