A VNU’s student - Nguyen Thanh Mai wins the Asian championship and ranks among the Top 3 worldwide at the Chinese Bridge competition - the highest achievement ever for Vietnam.
Nguyen Thanh Mai, a 12th-grade student majoring in Chinese at the Foreign Language Specialized School (Vietnam National University, Hanoi), has made history as the first Vietnamese student to win the Asian championship and place in the global Top 3 at the Chinese Bridge competition - the world’s largest Chinese language contest for students.
This marks Vietnam’s best-ever result in the prestigious international competition, which attracts over 110 high school students from 96 countries and territories each year.
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A passion inspired by family
Mai’s love for the Chinese language began in childhood, inspired by her grandfather’s calligraphy hobby.
“When I watched my grandfather write, I thought Chinese characters were magical,” she said. Her grandmother and mother also loved Chinese movies, and young Mai would often watch with them, gradually developing affection for the language.
By middle school, she began learning Chinese seriously. Although the writing system was challenging and often made her want to give up, a dedicated teacher rekindled her motivation, teaching her how to remember characters through stories and meanings.
Mai practiced by copying characters repeatedly, then progressed to writing essays. Over time, her fear of the language faded and was replaced by confidence and fascination.
From the classroom to the world stage
At the national Chinese Bridge contest, Mai won first place overall, as well as top prizes in both the public speaking and talent categories, earning the right to represent Vietnam internationally.
Preparing for the global competition from early August 2025, Mai crafted her speech around the theme “Flying High with My Chinese Dream”, telling the story of how her passion began with her grandfather’s calligraphy and grew into a lifelong pursuit.
For her talent performance, she sang “The Great Mountain” (大山) - a song celebrating love and springtime beauty in China’s Yi ethnic region.
After more than a month of preparation, Mai and her teacher flew to China on September 12. She advanced from the Top 30 to Top 15 and ultimately became the Asian Champion.
In the final round, competing against four continental champions, Mai faced demanding sections including cultural quizzes, situational dialogue, artistic performance, and an impromptu speech on “The Future World”, which covered complex topics such as science, AI, and automation.
“When my name was announced in the world’s Top 3, I was overwhelmed with pride,” she recalled. “It was the first time Vietnam had ever reached the global finals.”
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A talent nurtured through dedication
Her teacher, Chu Minh Ngọc, praised Mai’s exceptional ability: “Since grade 10, she has spoken Chinese as fluently and naturally as a native speaker. Her pronunciation, quick reflexes, and stage presence have always stood out. Despite only having 1.5 days to prepare for the final round, Mai’s composure and creativity were remarkable.”
For her achievement, Mai received a three-year Confucius Institute scholarship to study Chinese language abroad. However, she remains thoughtful about her next step: “I’m considering my options carefully, but if possible, I’d love to study at one of China’s top universities,” she said.
