A GHANAIAN university student has claimed top honours at the Ghana division final of the prestigious Chinese Bridge language competition, earning the right to represent the country at the international stage.
The national final, held on Friday in Cape Coast, was hosted by the Confucius Institute at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) and featured contestants from UCC, the University of Ghana, and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). Students impressed judges and audiences alike with their Chinese language skills and cultural performances.
Participants were tested through written exams, speeches in Mandarin, cultural quizzes, and live talent acts ranging from martial arts and singing to tongue twisters and dubbing.
According to Xinhua News Agency, the overall winner was Godfred Takyi Boateng, a first-year Chinese language student at UCC. He will now advance to the global finals of the competition.
Inspired by a multilingual legacy
Boateng shared with Xinhua that his late mother, a UCC alumna and professional translator fluent in four languages, was his main inspiration.
‘She introduced me to the world of Chinese. Although she’s no longer with us, her love of languages lives on in me,’ he said. Boateng believes learning Chinese offers wider opportunities for Ghanaian youth beyond just competitions.
Diplomatic support and educational ties
Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Tong Defa, who attended the event, thanked Ghanaian institutions for their continued support of Chinese language education.
‘The Chinese embassy will steadfastly support Ghana’s Chinese language education development, continue to assist the work of the three Confucius Institutes in Ghana, and provide scholarships to outstanding students,’ the ambassador told Xinhua.
Boosting cultural exchange through language
The Chinese Bridge contest is an international platform that promotes Mandarin learning and cultural exchange. It attracts participants from over 120 countries, and is seen as a key tool in strengthening educational and diplomatic ties between China and Africa.
While Ghanaian youth have long embraced Nollywood and K-pop, interest in Chinese language and culture is on the rise, say educators. Organisers of the event in Cape Coast noted that the annual contest helps to cultivate talent, build cross-cultural understanding, and open new doors in global education.
With Boateng preparing to take Ghana to the world stage, the nation’s cultural engagement with China continues to deepen — not just in policy, but through the passion and dedication of its young people.
