The final of the 25th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students in Tunisia was held on Tuesday, with the attendance of 10 Tunisian students majoring in Chinese.

Grand prize winner Raouene Chouk, a third-year student majoring in Chinese at the Higher Institute of Languages of Tunis, Carthage University, told reporters that she had also participated last year but fell short of her expectations.

"A year's hard work has finally paid off today, and I am very excited to have my Chinese proficiency recognized by everyone," she said.

China's accelerated development in recent years has made learning Chinese particularly important, she said, depicting learning the language to understand China and Chinese culture as something to be proud of.

"I hope that friends from all over the world can learn about beautiful China through learning Chinese," Chouk said.

As 2026 marks the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, Chinese Ambassador to Tunisia Wan Li said, the "Chinese Bridge" competition has long transcended its own significance.

When Tunisian youth recite Tang poems in Mandarin and Chinese students recount Carthaginian civilization in Arabic, two ancient civilizations are illuminated and grow together through equal dialogue, said Wan.

Hichem Messaoudi, director of the Higher Institute of Languages of Tunis and Tunisian director of the Confucius Institute, said that the "Chinese Bridge" is not only a stage for language competition but also a bridge of friendship connecting China and Tunisia.

He encouraged students to maintain their passion for Chinese and contribute to future communication and cooperation between the two countries.

This competition was hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Tunisia and co-organized by the Confucius Institute at Carthage University and the Higher Institute of Languages of Tunis.