HARARE, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The Confucius Institute at the University of Zimbabwe on Friday hosted the third edition of the Chinese Character Hero Competition in Harare, Zimbabwe's capital, to boost language skills among Chinese language learners.

During the competition, participants were tested on their ability to read Chinese characters and sentences, and to structure sentences correctly under time constraints.

Cathrine Nkala, a school teacher, was crowned the character hero for tertiary education students.

"I am motivated to continue learning Chinese characters, and not to give up. I want to encourage my fellow Zimbabweans who want to learn Chinese that it is very possible, and the Chinese language is very interesting," she told Xinhua after the competition.

In his welcome remarks, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the University of Zimbabwe Fainos Mangena said the competition is more than a contest, but a celebration of the power of language to connect people.

"This competition inspires creativity. It fosters mutual understanding and strengthens the bond of friendship between Zimbabwe and China. As we compete, we strengthen the bond between ourselves, as Zimbabwe, and our friends, China," said Mangena.

He said that languages such as Chinese have been introduced to the university's curriculum, opening doors for students to experience culture through language and to thrive as global citizens.

"By embracing languages such as Chinese, we equip graduates to thrive in trade, diplomacy, and cultural exchange," he said.

Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding said that through their voices and talents, the young Chinese language learners will become an integral part of the vibrant people-to-people exchanges between China and Zimbabwe.

"Every stroke you write, every character you articulate, and every effort you make is a small yet meaningful contribution to consolidating the strong bonds of friendship between China and Zimbabwe," said Zhou.

He said the growing enthusiasm for learning Chinese in Zimbabwe is a clear testament to the vitality of the bilateral partnership.

"As we celebrate our fruitful cooperation and enduring friendship, we reaffirm that language and cultural exchanges play a pivotal role in strengthening the foundation of our friendship and making our partnership more dynamic and resilient," he added. ■