n the early summer, London welcomed a grand cultural event as the grand final of the 25th “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students UK Regional Final was held here with great distinction.

Nearly 100 students from 14 UK universities gathered for the preliminary rounds. Following successive rounds of selection, 11 exceptional young individuals stood out to advance to the grand final.

During the competition, contestants engaged in a profound dialogue of language and spirit centred around the grand theme of “One World, One Family”. From passionate themed speeches and stunning talent showcases to in-depth cultural Q&As and quick-witted impromptu responses, the students demonstrated not only their solid command of the Chinese language but also expressed their boundless passion for and profound understanding of Chinese culture.

Following intense competition, Maryam from the University of Nottingham won the championship of this year’s competition with an outstanding performance.

Talia Claudia Dicks from the University of Edinburgh stood out with her exceptional spoken Chinese, genuine cultural insight, and composed stage presence, earning the title of “2026 UK Chinese Tourism Promotion Ambassador”. Zhang Li, Director of the China National Tourists Office (CNTO) London, presented her with the certificate of honour at the event.

From London to Edinburgh: A Journey Born of Language

Talia Claudia Dicks comes from London, UK, and is currently studying Chinese at the University of Edinburgh.

Over four years of dedicated study accompanied by books, Chinese has become far more than just the horizontal and vertical strokes in textbooks for Talia; it represents a deep connection extending well beyond the classroom and serves as a key to understanding emotions, culture, and human relationships. She is particularly fascinated by the implicit and nuanced expressions in Chinese, where a subtle shift in context can entirely change the meaning of the same sentence. It is precisely this Eastern aesthetic of “reading between the lines” that makes the language both intriguing and richly layered for her.

Moving from theoretical study to experiential learning, Talia spent a year living and studying in China during her university years. Immersed in the authentic, bustling atmosphere of daily life, she continuously polished her Chinese and experienced firsthand the conversational habits and warmth of communication across different cultures.

A casual greeting in daily life or a warm chat on the street corner brought what once seemed cold vocabulary vividly to life in her world. From her initial hesitation and unfamiliarity with Chinese characters and pronunciation to being able to converse naturally and fluently today, Chinese has quietly integrated into her life.

From High Wycombe to Edinburgh, and onward to the vast expanse of China, her path with Chinese has been a journey of continuously drawing closer, deepening understanding, and broadening horizons. In the future, she hopes to continue using language as a bridge to connect different cultures, enabling more people to see an authentic and vivid China through her eyes.

Words for the New Ambassador: Telling China’s Story through First-Hand Experience

Zhang Li, Director of CNTO London, expressed high expectations during the award presentation. He stated his hope that Talia would fully leverage her role as a bridge and link as a tourism promotion ambassador, using her personal experiences and a youth perspective to share authentic, multi-dimensional, and comprehensive Chinese stories with a wider British audience.

Director Zhang Li emphasised that China possesses abundant tourism resources, a long history and culture, and booming modern achievements. He looks forward to Talia becoming an envoy for cultural exchange by combining the feelings of a first-hand observer, the passion of a learner, and the responsibility of a communicator, thereby attracting more British friends to visit, understand, and fall in love with China.

Passing the Torch: The Cultural Footprints of Previous Ambassadors

The title of “Tourism Promotion Ambassador” is not only a supreme honour but also a significant cultural mission. Looking back, previous UK Chinese Tourism Promotion Ambassadors have remained highly active on the stage of UK-China exchanges after winning their awards, dedicating themselves to cultural and tourism promotion through their actions.

2024 UK Chinese Tourism Promotion Ambassador · Francesca (Fang Kexin), a student at the University of Leeds.

Following her award, she was invited to attend the Jingdezhen Culture and Tourism London Promotion Event, where her soulful recitation of the classic poem Shui Diao Ge Tou · When Will the Moon Be Clear and Bright? amazed the audience.

In the same year, she personally visited Xi’an and Sichuan, exploring Chinese history through youthful footsteps.

Subsequently, she appeared at the “China Night” event held at the Four Seasons Hotel London, vividly sharing her travel insights in China with audiences from both countries.

2023 UK Chinese Tourism Promotion Ambassador · Amie Arnold (An Qiyue), a student at the University of Warwick.

Her journey with Chinese began through her love for Teresa Teng’s songs, sparking a legendary connection between music and language.

After winning the title, Amie Arnold was not only invited to attend the Chongqing Culture and Tourism (London) Promotion Event, delivering a heartfelt introduction of this vibrant mountain city to the guests under the theme The Chongqing I Yearn For, but she also represented the youthful face of Chinese tourism by appearing at the World Travel Market (WTM) London, one of the world’s leading travel trade shows, showcasing the unique charm of Chinese culture and tourism on a professional international stage.

She fulfilled her duties as a promotion ambassador through the authentic lens of a young British person.

Year after year, these young people from various regions and backgrounds across the UK have used language as a key and culture as a bridge to bring Chinese stories to a wider global audience.

This year, the baton carrying UK-China friendship and cultural communication has been officially passed to Talia.

From a learner of Chinese to a promoter of Chinese tourism, her story proves once again that the meaning of language has never been confined to communication itself. It enables people to cross mountains and oceans, understand another way of life, and build bridges to each other’s hearts through sincere encounters.

With the Chinese language building dreams, mountains and oceans are connected. May this bridge of friendship, co-constructed by language and culture, guide more British friends to travel to China and truly understand the country.