KIGALI, May 26 (Xinhua) -- The 24th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese proficiency competition for Rwandan university and secondary school students has concluded in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, where participants showcased remarkable language abilities and cultural talents.

Hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Rwanda and organized by the Confucius Institute at the University of Rwanda, the event held on Sunday featured poetry recitation, calligraphy, speeches, dance performances, and Chinese pop music.

Blaise Irafasha, a student from the University of Rwanda, expressed excitement after emerging as the winner.

"I'm very happy. This is a dream come true since secondary school," he told Xinhua. "I took part in the Chinese Bridge competition three times in secondary school, finishing second and third. Now, as a university student, I've finally won. My belief is: never give up."

Irafasha said he is ready to compete with international students in the final global competition in China and hopes to pursue a bachelor's degree in the Chinese language.

Zeng Guangyu, co-director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Rwanda, noted a remarkable improvement in this year's performances, saying the competition drew many outstanding participants.

Florien Nsanganwimana, principal of the College of Education at the University of Rwanda, said that over the past 15 years, they have trained more than 20,000 Rwandans who now serve as bridges between the two countries.

"This is a remarkable milestone that reflects the growing friendship and cooperation between China and Rwanda," he said.

Valens Ngaboyera, an official from the Rwandan Ministry of Education, said the students presented something far greater than a language competition.

"We have seen the power of cultural exchange, the beauty of youthful ambition, and the bridges that are built when we open our hearts and minds to each other's heritage," he said.

In recent years, "Chinese Bridge" has grown from unmarked to a well-known brand of cultural exchange between China and foreign countries due to enthusiastic support and active participation, according to Lin Hang, charge d'affaires at the Chinese Embassy in Rwanda.

This year marks the 54th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Rwanda.

Lin said that education has always been an important driving force for the development of bilateral relations and one of the most dynamic and promising areas of cooperation between the two countries.

She described the "Chinese Bridge" as not only a platform to showcase and evaluate Chinese language learning but also a valuable symbol of China-Rwanda educational cooperation.