On 23 November, the Confucius Institute in Auckland held a highly successful “Chinese Bridge” immersive cultural experience for thirty secondary school students from across Auckland. The event combined hands-on cultural workshops with an inspiring talk from Jin Kaibo, the 2025 “Chinese Bridge” World Secondary School Chinese Competition Auckland Regional Champion and Global First Prize winner.

Jin Kaibo’s energetic presentation was a highlight of the day. He shared his journey from learning Chinese to competing on the world stage, describing how he overcame language barriers, prepared for the finals in China, and navigated cultural knowledge challenges alongside contestants from around the world. His stories, insights, and practical learning tips deeply motivated the students, drawing frequent applause and creating a strong atmosphere of encouragement.

Following the talk, students took part in two immersive cultural workshops: lacquer fan making and diabolo making. Under the guidance of CI teachers, students learned the history and artistic techniques behind lacquer fans while creating their own designs. In the diabolo workshop, students practiced grip, power techniques, and fundamental tricks—moving from beginner mistakes to proudly mastering steady spins and catches.

The activity concluded with students sharing their fan artworks and demonstrating diabolo skills, generating a warm and enthusiastic atmosphere. Many commented that the experience deepened their appreciation for Chinese culture and strengthened their motivation to learn Chinese. One student expressed, “I want to work even harder and stand on the Chinese Bridge stage next year!”

By combining role-model inspiration with hands-on cultural activities, the Confucius Institute in Auckland provided students with a meaningful platform to explore the Chinese language and culture. The event successfully used the spirit of the “Chinese Bridge” competition to promote learning through experience, building a vibrant bridge of cultural exchange between young people in New Zealand and China.

Eleven primary students captivated the audience with their stellar kungfu performance, other students sang popular Chinese songs, recited classic poems, performed traditional dances, and showcased Chinese calligraphy. Such scenes were commonly seen on Saturday 20 May when Chinese Bridge, a Chinese-speaking and cultural competition was held at the University of Auckland.

This year’s competition was a resounding success as the event saw a record number of over 100 Chinese language learners from year 3 to year 13 registered. Primary students battled it out in their 3rd “Chinese Bridge” competition and secondary students in their 16th “Chinese Bridge” competition. Hosted by the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Auckland and organised by the Confucius Institute in Auckland (CI), the event brought participants from the wider Auckland regions together to celebrate and showcase students’ language learning and cultural talents.

Secondary school students eloquently delivered their speeches on a range of topics, including Chinese history, traditions, and contemporary issues. The judges were impressed by the depth of understanding and fluency demonstrated by the young speakers, highlighting their dedication and passion for the Chinese language.

“We are thrilled to witness such incredible talent and passion among Auckland’s young students,” said Professor Dai Lan, chair of the judges’ panel. “These young individuals not only displayed remarkable linguistic skills but also deep cultural understanding. It’s inspiring to see how they have embraced the Chinese language and culture with such enthusiasm.”

As the occasion concluded, participants, judges, teachers, and parents expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to be a part of such a memorable experience and CI’s commitment to promoting and organising the event to support Chinese in Schools. As Auckland bids farewell to this year’s Chinese Bridge Competition, anticipation grows for next year, when students will, once again, have the opportunity to embrace and share the vibrant world of Chinese language and culture.

The final round of the 2022 Chinese Bridge Speech Competition (Secondary School Category) of the Auckland Region was hosted (via Zoom) by the Confucius Institute in Auckland on Sunday, June the 19th.

A total of 11 finalists from ten Auckland schools participated in the final contest, showing off their language skills and Chinese talents.The theme of this year is “New Zealand and China, Forging the Future”, and quite a few brilliant insights were brought up by the young contestants.

The top prizes went to Joanne Bentley from Diocesan School for Girls and Will Murphy from Auckland’s Sacred Heart College, and both of them are qualified for the global Chinese Bridge competition, which will happen soon.

The regional competition is proudly sponsored by ICBC (New Zealand), providing generous support for five years.

Winners’ List

After two rounds of competition, the winners of this year’s tertiary Chinese Bridge competition have been selected. Mohammad Khan, a second-year student from the University of Auckland, won first place and will be nominated to participate in the global Chinese Bridge competition, to be held online from Beijing. Mohammad started his Chinese journey in high school, Rotorua Boys’ High School. He won a top prize in the NZ national Chinese Bridge competition for secondary school students, which provided him and his friends with a life-changing experience in visiting China. Currently, he is studying commerce and the Chinese language at the University of Auckland.

Two students from Massey University, Jason Hagen and Karen Chin Pratap, won second and third place in the competition.

CI director Dr Xuelin Zhou presented the winner’s trophy and certificate to Mohammad in person.