KUNMING, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- The final of a Chinese language proficiency competition began in southwest China's Yunnan Province on Thursday.
The final of the 11th Chinese Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign Secondary School Students opened in Yunnan Normal University in the provincial capital Kunming, with 332 teachers and students from 99 countries in attendance.
Contestants from Cuba and Iceland took part in the competition for the first time.
The contestants sat a written examination on Thursday, and will take other tests, including Chinese speaking and talent shows, in the following days. The winners will be granted scholarships to study in China.
"I am quite looking forward to the competition in the coming days, particularly the talent competition when contestants will sing Chinese songs and do Chinese dancing and martial arts," said Ding Wenli, vice president of Yunnan Normal University.
The Chinese Bridge competition series includes those for foreign secondary school students and foreign college students. Beginning in 2002, the competition has drawn more than 300,000 contestants.
