SOFIA, May 9 -- Bulgarian national qualifications of the 13th "Chinese Bridge", Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students, were held in the capital city on Friday.

Five competitors, representing over 200 students studying Chinese in three Bulgarian universities, delivered speeches, played quiz games and showed artistic talents related to Chinese culture.

Tsvetelina Nedyalkova, a 23-year-old student at the Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" who is also the winner of the competition, was qualified to represent Bulgaria at the final stage in China. Her runner-up Nikola Popov from "St. Cyril and St. Methodius" University of Veliko Turnovo will attend the event as a spectator.

Antonia Tsankova, Bulgarian Director of the Confucius Institute in Sofia, said at the opening ceremony that this year is especially important and festive because the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Confucius Institute and the 65th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and China are marked.

She hopes that all the festivities this year will bring more joy, inspiration and mutual trust for the people in the two countries.

Yuan Jigang, head of the education section at the Chinese embassy in Sofia, said that since their funding, the Confucius Institutes in Sofia and Veliko Turnovo have conducted programs and projects for the development and promotion of the teaching of Chinese language and culture.

Yan Guohua, Vice President of Beijing Foreign Studies University, who also attended the event, said he is delighted that more and more students and people in Bulgaria like the Chinese language and choose to study Chinese.

This choice to study a foreign language, a foreign culture, is very important. It serves as a bridge for cultural and educational exchanges between the two countries, and promotes mutual understanding between cultures, Yan added.