Two Tanzanian university students on Saturday emerged outstanding winners of the Chinese language proficiency competition held in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam.

Mato Eglon, 22, a second year chemical engineering student with the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), emerged overall winner in the 17th Chinese Bridge-Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students organized by the Confucius Institute at the UDSM.

Speaking shortly after he was declared overall winner, Eglon said: "I am looking forward to studying my master's degree in chemical engineering in China."

The young student said it was high time Tanzanians learned Chinese language because China was now a global leader in business, economy and technology.

And 23-year-old Ayubu Tewele, a third year student pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Education also at the UDSM, emerged second winner and quipped: "My dream is to teach Chinese language to my fellow Tanzanians."

Tewele said since Chinese investments were mushrooming in Tanzania, Tanzanians were better placed to get jobs in Chinese companies if they spoke the Mandarin.

The overall winner will represent Tanzania in the global Chinese Bridge finals in China in August this year, and the second winner will also go to China to watch the competition.

The competition themed "One world one family" attracted four students from the Confucius Institute at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), four students from the Confucius Institute at the University of Dodoma (UDOM) and two students from the Confucius Institute classroom at University of Zanzibar's Mass Communication Department.

The competition assessed the proficiency of the students in various skills of Chinese language such as Chinese speech, knowledge about China as well as talent show.

Liu Yan, the Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute at the UDSM, said the 17th Chinese Bridge-Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students attracted students from 110 countries across the world.

He said the competition, jointly sponsored by Tecno Mobile Limited and Sunshine Group Limited, was aimed at providing Tanzanian students with a stage to show their Chinese language proficiency.

"The competition also creates a space for their mutual study and communication in order to encourage them to keep their enthusiasm and interest in Chinese language study and understand Chinese language and Chinese culture," said Liu.

Aldin Mutembei, the Tanzanian Director of the Confucius Institute at the UDSM, said knowledge of the Chinese language by Tanzanian students will minimize the gap between China and Tanzania, and will also enhance understanding between the two friendly countries.

Bonaventure Rutinwa, the UDSM Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic, commended the Confucius Institutes in Tanzania for promoting mutual understanding of friendly cooperation between China and Tanzania.

"These Institutes are instrumental in offering cultural exchange and Chinese language learning as an effective approach to further development of Sino-Tanzania ties," said Rutinwa.

The Chinese Bridge-Chinese Proficiency is a large scale international Chinese competition hosted annually by Confucius Institute Headquarters (Hanban), China. 

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